A Friend
by TheOneAndOnlyEnigma
Summary: Severus didn't know it but his new friend would bring him excitement and adventure that would make The Marauders jealous. Friendship. No Slash. Alternate Universe, and Non-Canon Compliant.
1. A New Friend

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Sorry.

A.U.

Every Tuesday Severus Snape would go over to the lake to meet his friend Lily Evans. They had both just finished their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L and they were meeting at the tree down by the lake to study for their Transfigurations O.W.L. Severus was reading a text on how to transfigure an alligator into a bathtub when he heard the most unpleasant noise.

"Oy there's Snivellus!"

Severus looked up to see his most hated rivals. Potter, Black, and Pettigrew...the a blink of an eye Severus shot up from where he was sitting and drew his wand, just to have it blown out his hand by James Potter. Then Black hit Severus with an Impediment jinx making sure he couldn't move, and then Potter levitated him into the air above the ground.

"So, how did you do on your O.W.L Snivelly?"

"I saw him,"answered Sirius. "His big nose was hitting the parchment when he was sitting upright!"

Severus glared at Sirius and then returned his glare to James.

"I bet you that your parchment is just riddled with grease marks, eh Snivelly?"

Severus took this opportunity to shout a couple of choice swears towards the Marauders.

"Whoa kiss your mother with that mouth? _Scorgify_!" Pink bubbles erupted from his mouth.

Then from the corner of is eye, James saw Lily Evans come into view with a look on her face that would send a grown man into tears.

"Well if it isn't my favorite little hell-cat!"

"Save it Potter! Let Severus go! What did he ever do to you anyway?"

"Well its the fact that he exists."

"Charming Potter, let him go!"

James smiled, "Of course just as long as you go out on a date with me."

"I'd rather go out with the Giant Squid!" "Oh, how cruel Evans!," Sirius retorted.

"Cancel the spell Potter," Lily demanded as she drew her wand.

"Evans don't make me hex you."

"Release him now!"

"Go out with me and I'll never hex ol' Snivelly ever again!"

"Don't do it Lily," shouted Severus.

"Shut it!" James then hit Severus with a Stunning Hex.

"You hideous disgusting toerag!" Lily then raised up her wand only to have Sirius disarm her.

"Thanks Padfoot."

"Anytime Prongs."

Pettigrew was overcome with joy seeing Snivellus getting what was coming to him for being a damn Slytherin. Now none of the Marauders happened to see the Hufflepuff Prefect that walked with a purpose towards them.

"Alright Snivellus lets finish this."

Lily closed her eyes as James raised his wand to hex Severus waiting for the inevitable, but it never it came. James Potter was still; no movement came from his body.

"Prongs? Oy Prongs, you alright?"

James Potter did not move or answer Sirius. It's as if he was frozen in time.

"Padfoot, what happened?"

"I don't know Wormtail!" Sirius then turned to Lily. "Did you do this Evans?"

"No she didn't, I did."

Sirius, Lily, Peter,and turned toward the new voice(all Severus could do was turn his head.) They saw a Hufflepuff prefect was standing next to the tree where Severus once sat. Lily recognized the prefect as Samual Yalarad a wizard who excelled in all courses and kept to himself. Lily wondered what he was doing here now.

"As you can see your friend James here is caught in the moment," Samual explained to Sirius and Peter.

"Alright look, I don't know who you are just cancel your jinx or charm or whatever the hell it it and go on your way. This isn't your problem," Sirius warned Samual.

"Well I'm making it my problem," Sam answered Sirius.

Sam motioned to Severus.

"Now cancel the spell Black."

"You're such a goody two shoes you do it!"

"No, I said YOU cancel the spell. You do it."

"Or what," spat out Pettigrew.

A moment of silence came over the entire group, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then Sirius cast a Stinging Hex towards the nosy Hufflepuff. Sam easily side stepped pulled out his wand and cast a jinx towards Pettigrew which hit its mark and had him hanging upside down in _Levicorpus_. Severus then thought to himself how many people know his jinx. Sirius and Samual dueled each other trying to get the advantage over the other. Actually it was more like Sirius was dueling and Sam was effortlessly countering Sirius' numerous hexes and jinxes and frustrating the hell out of Sirius.

Samual then decided to put an end to this petty spat.

"_Anteoculatia_!"

Within seconds of hitting Sirius with that hex; antlers sprouted out of his head.

"AHHH! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?"

"_Stupefy_!"

Sirius then fell over unconscious and it was over just as it started. Samual then walked over and then picked up Lily's wand and then returned it to Lily

"I believe this is yours."

"Thank you."

Samual then went over to Severus who was still caught in _Levicorpus_ and uttered the counter-jinx.

"Liberacorpus."

Severus then fell down from his magical bonds, landed in the grass, and then walked over to Lily.

"Are you alright Lily?"

"I was about to ask you the exact same thing Sev."

Lily then looked to Sam.

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it Lily." Sam smirked, "Someone had to put those clots in their place."

"Wait just a minute," Severus interjected. "How do you know my jinxes let alone those idiots."

Samual then picked up his bookbag and took out a Potionsbook.

An Advanced Potions Book.

Severus' Advanced Potions Book in which he put his spells he had invented.

"But how?"

"I saw Black take the book out of class when Professor Slughorn wasn't looking. James and Sirius made a mistake giving Pettigrew the book for safe keeping," Sam explained. "So when Pettigrew wasn't looking I nicked the book off of him with the intent of returning it to you, but curiosity overwhelmed me and I sneaked a peak."

Severus looked at Sam.

"You didn't happen to read any further into my book?" He then took the book back.

"Absolutely not, just the pages I saw Black looking at and nothing else."

"Well thanks for returning my book and thank you for, umm... helping with local pest problem."

Samual smiled, "Anytime, I'll catch you two later."

Samual then walked towards the Great Hall then stopped.

"Hey."

Severus and Lily looked at Sam.

"Listen I was going to the Great Hall get some lunch, and study for my Herbology O.W.L. Would you two like to join me?"

Severus and Lily looked at each other and then back to Sam.

"I think I speak for both Lily and myself when I say we would be delighted to join you," Severus responded.

"Yeah lets get something to eat and help each other study," Lily proclaimed.

Severus smiled as he gathered his belongings. Then Lily, Severus, and Samual walked to the Great Hall. A Gryffindor, a Slytherin, and a Hufflepuff. Surely it was the beginnings of a beautiful friendship.


	2. Lunch in the Great Hall

Chapter 2

Lunch in the Great Hall

A.N. I don't own Harry Potter if I did that would be awesome.

* * *

><p>Lily, Severus, and Samual made their way toward the Great Hall after Sam dispatched the Marauders. Students stood with their jaws agape; never had they seen a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin walk alongside a Gryffindor so brazenly down the hall before.<p>

When the trio had settled in the Great Hall, they had ordered lunch and a few refreshments.

Lily was eating her Caesar Salad when she looked over to Samual. He was needless to say, good looking. He was no Humphrey Bogart, but he was attractive looking. Samual had semi-long brown hair, and looks kind of looks like that one actor. What was his name? James Dean!

"Have I got something on my face, Lily?"

Lily snapped out of her little day-dream and saw him looking at her.

"Oh, umm no Sam you've got nothing on your face."

Severus was silent and then cast Muffiato to make sure no-one else could hear them talking.

"Samual."

"Yes, Severus?"

"Why did you help Lily and I with the Marauders?" Samual looked at Severus and Lily,

"Do you really want to know?"

Severus and Lily both nodded their eyes were aflame with wonder and anticipation.

"I can't stand people who think that just because they think that they are Merlin's gift to ladies. Think that they can get away with anything they want."

Samual then took a sip of water from his goblet.

"You have to understand. I have always heard of the tales of he Maruaders, but I never seen it. Never, and I promised myself if I ever saw them do the things I heard them do, that I would do the same to them."

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." Lily quoted.

"Let me ask you why didn't you do something sooner?" Severus asked Samual.

"Well let's just say I wasn't paying too much attention to my surroundings."

"What do you mean?"

Sam went into his bookbag, trying to find them. '_Where are they?'_ Sam started to take things out of the bag and place it on the table.

Finally, after emptying his entire bag. Sam finally found what he was looking for, and pulled them out.

Severus and Lily examined what Sam had taken out.

"Earplugs? Lily enquired.

"Not just any earplugs, Lily. These were Everlasting Earplugs. You would put them on and, its total silence you couldn't here anything!" Sam explained.

"Wait a minute, were? What do you mean, were?" Severus asked.

"In short they broke. So much for everlasting," Sam guffawed. "Am I right? Anyway these plus my studies, extracurricular activities, and well life. I kind of forgot the Maruaders even existed, until now."

"Oh naivety. How, I miss you." Severus mused.

"Yeah after my D.A.D.A O.W.L I took a walk around the great lake to try and fix them, then I saw a commotion over by the big oak tree and... the rest is history."

Severus had only one more question. "What was that spell you hit Potter with? I've never seen anything like it."

Samual smiled. "That is one of my prized charms I've created."

"You made it?" Lily asked.

"Yep, and it's only one of many spells that I have created, and if you two want i'll teach it to you."

"I'd like that!"

"What's the incantation?" Severus mused.

"The incantation is _Sisto Motus_." Sam said as he took a sip of water from his goblet.

"How long does the spell last?"

"Oh, it depends really. For people about two to seven hours. Magical creatures, a day or two. Inanimate objects last up until you cast the counter charm."

"Which is?"

"Reduxi Motus, Lily."

The three went back to heir lunches as they studied for their upcoming O.W.L.s.

* * *

><p>It was six in the afternoon the sun was winding down and James Potter was finally free from the <em>Sisto Motus<em> charm.

"Now Snivellus get what's coming to...you?"

James looked around his surroundings, confused. What had happened? First, Snivellus and Lily were here, and now they were gone, and the sun was going down when the sun was right above him.

"What happened?"

"Prongs! You're alright!"

James saw Peter hanging from his feet upside down, caught in Levicorpus.

"Wormtail! What happened? What time is it? Why are you upside down?"

James undid the jinx and Peter fell straight down.

"Where's Padfoot?"

James then saw Sirius on the ground, unconscious.

"Never mind."

James saw that Sirius had antlers on his head and proceeded to laugh, then _Ennervated_ him back into consciousness, and took away the antlers.

Sirius woke with a scowl and jumped up.

"THAT BASTARD! WHERE IS HE?" Sirius shouted into the sky.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow your roll Padfoot. Where is who?" James asked Sirius.

"That Hufflepuff prefect! The one that hung Wormtail upside down, gave me antlers then stunned me, and hexed you still!" Sirius explained.

"WHAT! WHO?"

"I don't know! I've never seen him before!" Sirius kicked the ground. "Thanks to him, we probably missed our Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L. with Kettleburn!"

"Damn it!" James swore.

Then Pettigrew had an idea. "I've got it! Let's go to Moony. With him being a social hub of people coming to him for tutoring help, he has to know the guy who hexed us!"

Sirius smiled. "Your right!" He turned to James, "The plan is foolproof!"

James smirked. "Well then, let's go and get our man!"

The three marauders went towards the Great Hall. To find Moony, and to get their man!

* * *

><p>Read and Review.<p>

Its good to be back in the saddle.

More Chapters coming soon!

Preview of the next chapter...

* * *

><p><em>Samual then turned toward Severus. "Be a pal and please pass me the lipstick."<em>

"_Red or Blue?" Severus asked._

_Sam looked at Sirius caught in Sisto Motus. _

"_Definitely Red."_


	3. Payback

Chapter 3

Payback

A/N. I do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

><p>Remus Lupin was sitting at his House table eating has Steak and Potatoes, while reading Ivanhoe. He was on chapter three when he saw his Brothers-in-arms walk in a little bit miffed. Remus got up after saving his place in the novel and walked over to them.<p>

"Where is Merlin's Beard have you guys been?" Remus asked his friends, "You three missed the Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L! Professor Kettleburn will probably fail you three if you don't plead for a new test date!"

"Yeah, don't remind us Moony," James told his friend.

"What happened to you guys anyway?"

Sirius stepped forward, "We got jinxed and hexed by some Hufflepuff. Who, get this actually HELPED Snivellus!"

Remus sighed. "Well I've been telling you guys for years now. That one day either Severus or someone else would stand up and teach you a lesson. "

"Well we never thought it would happen!" Sirius snapped at Remus.

"Hey don't get snippy with me!" Remus barked back at Sirius, "I'm not the one who picked a fight and probably failed their Care of Magical Creatures O.W.L!"

Sirius raised his hands, "Alright Moony, Peace!"

Peter intervened trying to keep the peace. "Listen, Moony we need your help. We need you to identify the guy, we know what he looks like but we don't know who he is. So, will you help us?"

Remus looked at his friends. "You point him out and I'll identify him. I'm not getting involves with your petty vendetta."

Remus walked back to his spot with James, Sirius, and Peter following him.

"Oh Moony!" James laughed, "You're no fun anymore!"

* * *

><p>"Is that him?" Remus asked as another Hufflepuff walked in.<p>

Peter looked up from his Beef Stroganoff. "No, he had brown hair that went to his neck."

Remus kept looking at the door, he had finished his steak and was probably not going to get back to reading Ivanhoe anytime soon.

"Is that him?"

James looked up. "I can't tell, Padfoot?"

Sirius stood up, "NO, he wasn't that fat! That's that one reject...Clearwater."

"Okay, listen guys I don't think he's gonna show."

"Oh, no...He'll show." Sirius growled.

"How, do you know?"

Sirius was quiet. "Just keep your eyes open!"

Peter had an idea, "Hey, that Hufflepuff went away with Snape and Evans. Maybe he'll walk in with them."

"Great thinking, Wormtail! You're Two for Two!"

Peter smiled, it was nice to be getting recognition for once.

So, Remus kept an eye out for Severus, and Lily seeing if the mysterious Hufflepuff would show up with them.

Then, they appeared. Severus, and Lily walked in with a Hufflepuff. Brown hair down to his neck, regular build, and he was with Severus and Lily. The Hufflepuff turned around to go sit at his House Table. Remus blanched, he prayed that he was wrong and his friends didn't pick a fight with this Hufflepuff.

"Okay, I hope i'm wrong, but is that him?" Remus asked his friends.

Peter, James and Sirius looked to see the culprit walk casually down to his seat.

"Yes that's him!" Peter exclaimed.

"There's the bastard!" Sirius growled.

"Awesome. So, who is he Moony?" James asked his friend.

Remus looked up at his friends.

"Please, for love of Merlin. Don't tell me you got into a fight with Samual Yalarad."

"THAT"S SAM YALARAD?" Peter screamed in terror.

Sirius and James clamped his mouth and sat as low as they could in their seats so that Sam wouldn't see who called out his name.

James and Sirius let go of Peter's mouth.

"Jeezus, Wormtail! You almost gave us away!" James scolded his friend.

"Yeah, Wormy what's the matter with you?" Sirius added.

'_Well it was fun while it lasted_.' Thought Peter.

Sirius started the conversation back up.

"So, who is that Yala-whatever his name is?" Sirius asked his Marauder compatriots.

"Padfoot," Remus started. "Sam Yalarad is the son of Silas Yalarad!"

Sirius had a blank stare on his face. "Moony I get you are trying to ease me into an epiphany, but can you just tell me?" Sirius bluntly asked.

"Samual is the son of "Seven Wand" Silas!" James interjected.

Sirius' eyes widened. "What? Sam-Mule is related to one of the greatest Aurors to ever live!"

"Yeah, that's what I'm saying!"

The group got quiet. Then James broke the silence.

"Alright, now that we know our culprit. Let's plan a swift and embarrassing payback!"

Remus blanched. "Well keep me informed on your vendetta."

His friends were dumbstruck.

"Moony," Sirius started. "Aren't you going to join us?"

"No thanks, this is your problem. You deal with it!" Remus retorted as he went back to Ivanhoe.

"Prongs is right, you're no fun anymore Moony!"

* * *

><p>Sam Yalaread walked out of his Herbology O.W.L with the upmost confidence that he got an 'O' on it.<p>

The studying he did with Severus and Lily really paid off. He was on his way to the Library to meet up with Severus and Lily to see how they did on their O.W.L's. As he was walking from the classroom he noticed out of the corner of his eye that he was being followed.

And as he turned the corner, he saw that Sirius Black was following him, and he didn't seem too happy.

Sam quickly made his way to the Library. If he made it the Library he'd be under the safe, but fierce gaze of Madam Pince.

As he ascended the staircase, he saw Pettigrew outside the entrance of the sixth floor.

And so he ascended up to the Seventh floor. Gryffindor Country. No Man's Land. Sam was on his own.

Pettigrew joined Sirius and started slowly chasing after Sam, as not to attract attention to their misdeeds.

Sam was in the heart of the Seventh floor, and when he turned a corner... There was James Potter with his wand out. Ready to hex Sam into Oblivion.

Luckily, there was an empty classroom to the left and Sam dove in, narrowly missing a flurry of stinging hexes.

Sam then instinctively locked the door, and used his magic to stack desks in order to keep the Marauders out.

"Okay, Sam-Mule." Shouted James Potter, "Come out and we promise to make this quick!"

"Really you think that's going to get me to open this door? And I'll have you know that my name is pronounced, Sam-ual!"

"Whatever you git!" Yelled Sirius. "You've thrown in your hat with Snivellus, and now you're going to pay for it!"

Sam really didn't want to fight those idiots, but he knew it was coming. He just didn't know it was going to be this soon.

Sam looked out the window, sure enough, it was a long drop to the bottom.

Sam had little time to weigh his options as the Marauders forced their way inside.

James, Peter and one P.O'd Sirius were mad for vengeance. Sam stood his ground, with his wand at the ready.

"Ready for your punishment, Sam-Mule?"

"It's Sam-ual, Potter." Sam scoffed, "Seriously. I mean did your father drop you on your head when you little or something?"

If James wasn't angry before, he was now. All three Marauders had their wands out by now.

"Hex him boys!"

Sam readied himself and retaliated.

* * *

><p>Severus and Lily were in the Library, waiting for their new acquaintance, Sam Yalarad.<p>

Severus was sitting at a table reading a Potions Theory book, while Lily was pacing back and forth.

"Lily, with your pacing, you'd probably make a permanent impression on the floor, and Madam Pince wouldn't take that too kindly, now wouldn't she?" Severus without looking up from his book.

Lily looked over at Severus.

"I mean Lily, we just met him yesterday, and besides if he doesn't come it's not the end of the world. He probably is spending time with his other friends, y'know."

"Well," Lily started. "I'm just wondering if he hadn't incurred the wrath of the local nuisances."

Severus sighed, "I'm sure he can take care of himself."

"I'm not so sure."

Just then the man of the hour came in.

"Speak of the devil." Severus put down his book. "Where have you been?"

"How did you do on your Herbology Exam?"

"Oh uh, first I was busy," Sam explained. "Secondly, I think I passed my O.W.L with ease!"

"Well that's great!"

"Busy with what?"

Sam smiled. "Well that's the second thing I wanted to talk to you about, in fact I think I should show you."

So, Sam had Severus and Lily follow him to the deserted classroom on the seventh floor.

What was inside shocked Severus and Lily.

James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were caught in the _Sisto Motus_ Charm.

"...I don't know what to say." Severus choked out, he was too stunned to say anything.

"Well don't. I mean these guys came at me trying to hex me, so I was just trying to defend myself."

"Well let's leave them be, c'mon Severus." Lily said.

Sam turned around to see Severus and Lily leaving.

"HEY!"

Severus and Lily turned back around.

"Yes?" Severus asked.

Sam walked in front of them, blocking their way from the door.

"Haven't you guys been saying how, these three have made the past five years of your life here at Hogwarts miserable?"

"Yeah." Severus replied, realizing the fact.

"Well, now they are here! Right in front of you! Ready to be messed with and you are going to walk away?"

"Well, what would you have us do?" Lily asked Sam.

Sam gave a great, big, smile.

"Lily," directed Sam. "Go up to your room and get some make-up and some dresses that might fit these three!"

"What I don't understand, why do I need..." Lily understood what Sam was going with, and grinned. "Oh, Sam you are Bad! I'll be right back!"

Lily ran out to get the supplies.

Sam looked at Severus.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well Severus. We have the hard job. We need to get these three down to their skivvies."

Severus blanched. Undressing the Marauders wasn't on his list of things to do.

"Do we have to?"

"Well we could let Lily do it."

Severus looked at Sam in silence.

"I'll start with Black, you get Potter and we'll both do Pettigrew, is that Ok Samual?"

Sam smiled. "Perfect."

Severus slowly undid Sirius' pants as he looked away.

"Y'know."

Severus looked over to Sam.

"Friends call me Sam."

Severus looked over at Sam and smiled.

"Friends call me Sev."

Now it was Sam's turn to smile.

The two friends went back to their Dirty Job.

* * *

><p>Lily had shrunk the Make-up and the dresses down and shoved them into her pocket.<p>

She hurried up to the classroom. When she opened the door she saw Severus and Sam strip Pettigrew to his skivvies.

Severus blanched, and Sam was frozen.

"Lily this isn't what it looks like." Severus started to explain.

"What are you talking about Sev? This is exactly what it looks like." Sam replied.

Severus gave Sam the Stink Eye.

* * *

><p>The three started their little makeover party for their Marauder 'friends'.<p>

* * *

><p>Lily looked at her dresses. "What do you think, Sev?"<p>

Severus looked at her options.

"Green. Lily. Dress them all in green." Severus smiled.

"Perfect!" Lily transfigured all the dresses to be green. "Let the 'Golden' Gryffindor boys be Slytherins for today!"

* * *

><p>Samual then turned toward Severus. "Be a pal and please pass me the lipstick."<p>

"Red or Blue?" Severus asked.

Sam looked at Sirius caught in Sisto Motus.

"Definitely Red."

* * *

><p>"Okay guys. Ready? One, two THREE!"<p>

Sam, Severus and Lily groaned as they struggled to put a dress on Peter.

"Oughgh. What do they feed this guy?" Sam yelled.

"Everything and anything!" Severus replied.

* * *

><p>Lily was taking the final incriminating picture with her camera.<p>

"Okay, now let's see these buffoons try and mess with us." Lily exclaimed.

"I don't think this will stop them." Severus begrudgingly said.

"Maybe, but I have an idea, that will have them thinking twice before they mess with us." Sam said. "How long until Lunch?"

Lily looked at the clock. "About thirty minutes.'

"Okay we need to act fast."

* * *

><p>James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew awoke all at once to see a group of their classmates laughing. At them.<p>

"What, what? What happened?" Peter stuttered out.

"Sonovabitch! We were hexed by Sam-Mule!" James swore.

"I'm gonna wring his neck! I swear it!" Sirius proclaimed

James then noticed his classmates laughing.

"What's so funny?"

Frank Longbottom stopped laughing long enough to answer.

"Well Potter. We're laughing at you and your friend's choice in clothing! BWAHAHAH!"

"What are you..." James looked down at his attire. "DEAR MERLIN!" James then tried to cover himself.

Sirius and Peter then noticed their womanly attire and tried to cover themselves to no avail.

"Hey Potter!"

James looked up to see Samual, Severus, and Lily walk up.

"YOU!"

"Me. You'd better get changed Potter. Wouldn't want McGonagall to turn red with Fury to see you three dressed like that!"

James, Peter, and Sirius bolted to their dormitory.

"YOU'RE GOING TO YOURS YALARAD!" Sirius yelled as he was going towards the staircase.

"I'm shaking in my boots, Black!"

Sam turned to Lily and Severus. They were laughing. Everyone was laughing.

Payback was grand.

* * *

><p>Read and Review.<p>

Looks like the Marauders have gotten pranked themselves.

The foot is on the other boot now!

Preview of the Next Chapter

* * *

><p>Sam was on the opposing seat sleeping, snoring loudly.<p>

"I'd hate for him to be my room-mate." Severus laughed.

Lily playfully smacked him in the arm with her book.

"Cheeky bastard."


	4. Stand Your Ground

I don't own Harry Potter or the Franchise.

* * *

><p>Severus, Lily and Sam watched the Marauders run up the stairs hopefully to change.<p>

Samual then turned to the crowd of students who were still laughing or started to make their way into the great hall. Now was part two.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. Children of all ages! Gather 'round, gather round!" Sam barked as he got the crowd's attention.

"Sam, what are you doing?" Severus asked, as the crowd shuffled back around them.

Sam smiled and pulled out a folder. When Severus saw the folder he smiled. "Why Severus, it's the piece de resistance!" Sam joked.

Sam turned to the crowd, "How would you all like to own a piece of that moment? Because I have pictures for sale. Different shots, angles and everything!"

"Just what would we do with them?" A voice rang out in the crowd.

"Blackmail, a deterrence. The sky is the limit! Now who wants some?"

A stampede of people crowded around Sam. The crowd definitely wanted them.

"One picture for five knuts! Two for seven! Three for ten!" Sam barked as he was selling the pictures.

"I got single shots, group shots, close-ups! Who wants one?"

Severus and Lily decided to wait inside the Great Hall as Sam sold the pictures.

* * *

><p>It was halfway through with lunch, there were no more O.W.L's to take. Students were given the rest of the day to rest, as tomorrow was there last day at Hogwarts for the year.<p>

Severus and Lily sat in their usual spot, they were eating when two boys their age, a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw sat down across from them nonchalantly staring at them.

Now, Severus and Lily were confused. The Hufflepuff was scraggy looking. Average build, dirty blond hair and a tan complexion. Now, while the Hufflepuff looked like he had just gotten out of bed, the Ravenclaw on the other hand was a prim proper looking studen, was a bit taller, had a clean cut haircut, and had sunglasses on.

"So, whaddya think Tom?" The Hufflepuff asked his friend.

"Hmm, they have potential Slink. They aren't novices, they've probably done stuff like this before." The Ravenclaw known now as Tom said to the Hufflepuff identified as Slink.

"Umm, excuse me, but do we know you?" Lily asked the two boys.

"No you don't. At least not yet." Slink said.

Suddenly two other students sat down. Lily recognized them as Maxwell Jameson a Ravenclaw, and Riley O'Connell a Gryffindor both of them were cousins. Both of them had chocolate brown hair that went down to their necks, freckles dotted their faces.

"What's going on?" Maxwell asked Tom.

"We're checking out Sam's new friends!" Tom said.

"Yeah, they look like real nice." Slink jovially said.

"Yeah! They do don't they?" Riley said out loud in an strong Irish accent.

Three more students entered in, sitting on Severus and Lily's side. Two were boys the other was a girl. Sebastian Holmes was a Slytherin, his long light brown hair was put into a ponytail. Jessica Drew was a Hufflepuff, she was very beautiful, she was a Queen amongst her subjects. Macdonald Beth was a Gryffindor, and he was built like a horse. After all you didn't get to be one of the Gryffindor Beaters by being thin as a twig.

"Ah, Sebastian, Macbeth, Jessica how were your D.A.D.A O.W.L.S?" Tom asked the three.

"Tough, but doable." Jessica said as she chose a ripe golden apple and bit into it.

"It was nothing really too hard. After those study sessions I believe I got an E, maybe an O." Sebastian told his tale as he took a goblet and filled it with water.

The big Gryffindor was silent, just staring out into space.

"Hey! Macbeth, are you okay there buddy?" Slink asked his distracted friend.

"Hmm?" Macbeth turned to Slink. "What did you ask?"

"I asked how you did on your O.W.L."

Macbeth looked up at the ceiling, which showed a bright sunny day. "I did fine, thanks for asking."

"Urm, pardon me." Severus started, "But..."

Just then two more students sat down, interrupting Severus.

"Hola! Mi Amigos!" The Gryffindor Heart-throb known as Michael Ashdown sat down with his best friend, the less than handsome, silent Hufflepuff Severus recognized as Nathan Clearwater.

Nathan signed something to Michael, you see Nathan was a mute and could only communicate via signing.

"Well I'm sure you did fine on your Herbology O.W.L." Michael consoled his silent friend.

"EXCUSE ME!" Severus shouted, gaining the attention of everyone at the table. "Just who are you guys?!"

Sam walked up with his satchel filled with money. "They are my friends, Sev."

Severus calmed down a bit, "Oh. Okay, that makes sense."

Slink looked at Severus and back to Sam. "Your new friend seems a bit temperamental."

"Oy!" Severus yelled.

"Slink...he's cool, so is Lily. I vouch for them." Sam looked around the Great Hall.

"Has anybody seen Xeno?"

A loud crash was heard at the entrance, everyone looked to see a tall pale scraggly looked blond haired Ravenclaw scramble to pick up his fallen books and papers.

Sam sighed, "Xeno." He then went over to his friend and helped pick up his assorted things.

The two went back to their seats, and settled down.

"Sam! I've seen Frockdads over by Hadgrid's gardens! They must be there to eat the aphids that are plaguing the Garden." Xeno exclaimed.

"I'm sure they are. Okay now that everyone is here, I'd like to introduce, Severus Snape, and Lily Evans to our little group."

The group introduced themselves to the two.

"Okay, now onto business. Remember the little project I had mentioned early on in the year? Before the Winter holiday?" Sam asked his friends.

"YALARAD!"

Everyone in the Great Hall turned to see a ruffled up Sirius angrily walk into the hall with James Potter and Peter Pettigrew in tow.

"Making friends everywhere aren't we, Samual?" Tom dryly said.

"Oh yes, everywhere, Thomas!" Samual sarcastically responded.

Sam got up from his seat at the table, and approached the peeved Gryffindor.

"Hello Sirius. How may I help you this fine day?"

Sirius responded by pointing his wand into Sam's face.

"You can help me by gettin' hexed! Expellia..."

Sirius was interrupted by the sight of Tom's friends all pulling out their wands and pointing them at Sirius.

At that moment in time, it was like the Cold War. Each side with it's nuclear weapons pointed at each other. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"What are you looking at?" Sam turned around to see what Sirius was paying attention to. Sure enough, it was his friends coming to his aid.

"Well now, ain't this a kick in the pants? So now, how is this going to play out? Will you hex me, and receive a flurry of spells your way, or will you walk on?" Sam queried.

Sirius was furious. Never before did anybody stand up to him, and this was the first time that he was on the opposite side of the numbers game.

"I have friends." Sirius mumbled as he lowered his wand.

Sam then looked over Sirius' shoulder to see his 'friends.'

"I have **more** friends then you, better friends. Friends that don't gang up on people. Like a certain group of people, I will not mention at this time."

"Oh come on! Not even a little?" Slink asked out loud.

"Nope."

Slink sighed, he was hoping to get in on some Marauder beatdown.

"So, here's the skinny Sirius, and I do hope you are listening. I know that certain things go from one ear and out of the other, with you."

Sirius was furious, but silent.

"Severus Snape, and Lily Evans are with me, now. You don't mess with them, you don't talk to them, you don't even think about them!" Sam firmly laid down the law with Sirius. "As a matter a fact! Don't pick on anyone ever again!"

"Or what?" Sirius spat out.

"My friends and I will take those...little public displays that you put on for people you make fun of...and multiply that by one million, and inflict it on you!"

Sirius was about to say something, but Sam cut him off.

"**Don't test me!**" Sam ordered.

Sirius said nothing, as he walked back to his friends. The three Marauders walked out the way they came, but this time with their tails firmly between their legs.

Samual waked back to the table, everyone had put their wands away seconds after the nuisances left.

Sam sighed, "So back to what I was saying..."

* * *

><p>The rest of the term went quietly. The Marauders kept their distance. James stayed away from Lily, and Severus.<p>

The entire group got to know each other real well before the term let out.

If you didn't know any better, you would have sworn the they were all old long time friends.

The Owls delivered the test results, on the last breakfast before summer holiday.

The entire group got A's or better on all of their categories.

And, in a blink of an eye. The term was over. Children clamored around the station, eager to return home for the summer. Some more-so than others.

"My da is taking me and me family on a hunting trip this summer!" Riley said as the group got comfortable in an cabin, charmed to fit everybody.

"That's nice Riley." Severus politely said as he put away his bags on the top compartment.

"Yea, Macbeth is joining us too." Riley pointed over towards to Macbeth who was loading a heavy trunk for Nathan. "He's a born natural with the bow and arrow."

"Hmm, is that right?"

"It's true as grass is green." Riley responded as he sat down next to Maxwell.

Severus then took a seat next to Lily, right across from Sam.

Sam was on the opposing seat sleeping, snoring loudly.

"I'd hate for him to be my room-mate." Severus laughed.

Lily playfully smacked him in the arm with her book.

"Cheeky bastard."

Lily looked at Severus, in just one week he had opened up to a new group of people ready to accept him as his friend with no hesitations. That made Lily teary eyed for a moment.

Lily started to read her textbook for her summer coursework. After all she didn't want to spend her entire summer, doing busy work.

No, she wanted to have fun!

* * *

><p>Read and Review<p>

I hope you like this story!

Nay, I hope you love it!

Preview onwards!

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><p>"Who's Webster?" Severus asked.<p>

Sam then pointed to the car in the corner.

"That's Webster!"


	5. The United

I do not own Harry Potter or its properties.

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><p>The train kept rolling down the tracks. Severus was just finishing with his Arithmancy summer coursework, well trying to finish, seeing as he was bombarded with interruptions and distractions.<p>

For one, everyone was being rambunctious and talkative in the cabin.

Michael Ashdown was the worst offender, you see other that being Gryffindor's Teen Heart-throb, he was also a very loud talker.

"And I say, that's no walrus, that's his wife!" Michael chuckled as he regaled his tale to his friends that surrounded him.

Severus sighed as he shut his book and put his materials away, he obviously wasn't going to get more work done with this ruckus.

He looked over to his right and saw Lily who was finishing her History of Magic summer work. Then he looked over to his left and saw Tom who was finishing his own work.

"Excuse me, Tom?." Severus asked his new friend.

"Yes Severus?" Tom responded not taking his eyes off his work.

"How can you concentrate with all this racket?"

"...You learn to compromise, and multitask, soon you'll be able to drown them out, only listening to the important things."

"Well, compromise I understand, but Multitasking?"

Tom did not respond as he looked at Severus whilst a paper-ball flew towards his head. Tom caught it with ease and threw it back to its sender.

"As I said, multitasking."

Severus turned to see Samual starting to wake up from his nap.

Samual yawned and smacked his lips. "How long have I been asleep?" He asked out loud.

Tom went into his pocket and pulled out his pocketwatch. "You've been sleeping for precisely...one hour, 23 minutes, and 35 seconds."

"To a tee." Sam stretched his limbs as he got up in the cabin. "Alright everybody."

Sam got everybody's attention. "This is probably going to be the last meeting we have before Summer Break so I propose an official meeting of The United."

"Sounds fair." Tom admitted as he put away his book.. "Does anyone second the motion?"

Xenophilius emphatically exclaimed. "I second the motion!"

"Motion passed. Continue Speaker Yalarad."

As Sam was about to say something he noticed Severus and Lily with a very confused look on their faces.

"Oh Severus, Lily. I almost forgot to mention. You see we have an unusual way of doing things here. We operate by a set of standards and regulations that a government would follow."

"What?" Severus asked. "Why?"

"Well it's the way it always has been. Oh and before I forget." Sam then listed off the positions in the United.

"There are six positions in the leadership positions, but you don't have to be in a position of power to be in the club."

"Like Parliament?" Lily mused.

"Yes Lily. Exactly like Parliament." Jessica explained. "There is the President, which is currently held by Tom. Vice President, which is moi! Speaker, who is expertly done by Sam. Treasury Officer, that's Slink's job. Historian, that would be Nathan, and Secretary is Sebastian."

"Well if we aren't in a leadership role, then what are we, exactly." Severus defensively asked.

"Good question. You guys would be associates as of right now." Samual then turned towards Tom. "Which leads me to my first topic of discussion. I move that Severus Snape and Lily Evans are granted Full Membership into The United, as of now."

Eyes were raised as murmurs were uttered. Sebastian transfigured a book into a gavel and tapped it upon the wooden inlay of the seat cushion. "C'Mon, settle down you guys. This isn't a farmhouse!"

"Why do you ask of this? It is very unlike of you to bypass protocol. Is it because of The so-called Marauders?"

"Yes."

Tom sighed as he thought quietly. Severus and Lily didn't know whether to be confused or nervous. It seemed Sam had put a lot on the line to get them into his little club.

"I understand you concerns, and therefore I will allow it." Tom conceded.

Sam smiled, but his victory was short lived.

"If however, I get a motion seconding it, and then must be followed by a vote in which more than two-thirds of the group must vote for their immediate Membership."

Tom opened the discussion to the group. "Does anyone second the motion?"

Nathaniel raised his hand, signaling his seconding the motion.

"Alright, I see Historian Nathaniel Clearwater seconds the motion. Motion passed."

"You better write that down Mr. Historian, wouldn't want to get canned for not doing your job!" Michael joked, and with that everyone had a laugh easing the tension in the cabin.

"Okay knock it off." Tom then turned to Lily and Severus. "Now Lily, Severus. This vote is in no way a means of showing we don't like you. This is a means of showing if there are enough people here who trust you enough to share valuable secrets and information."

Everybody shook their heads.

"I mean we all like you guys, there's no doubt about it. We just need to make this entire thing official, and such." Slink explained.

"Okay this vote is anonymous, so Lily, Severus if you would please cover your eyes so we may vote." Tom instructed the two.

Lily covered her eyes as Severus was more reluctant to cover his.

Tom turned to Sam. "Sam you know the rules. You brought up the motion, so you are disqualified from this vote."

"I understand."

"All right remember. Two-thirds or more, and Lily, and Severus will get in." Everyone, except Sam, Lily, and Severus shook their heads.

"All in favor of bringing Lily Evans and Severus Snape into The United, please raise your hands."

Hands were raised as Tom counted, and Sam looked on.

"...7...8...9...and me that makes 10. Now all opposed...none. You two can put your hands down."

Lily smiled as Severus her put their hands down.

"Severus Snape, Lily Evans. With an astonishing 10-0 vote, it is my honor to induct you two as full members of The United. Congratulations!" Tom smiled.

Severus was confounded. "What is this? Some secret society?"

"That was the same damn question I asked when I was inducted." The stoic Macbeth reminisced.

"This ain't no secret society where..." Riley O'Connell started.

"We sacrifice people..." Maxwell Jameson continued.

"To some sort of Pagan God." The two cousins finished together.

"That would make these meetings a lot more fun if you think about it." Michael teased.

Another round of laughter rang out in the cabin.

"'The United' is more of a social club more than anything." Sebastian explained.

"It started out as a lot more than that." Tom motioned for Nate.

Nate pulled out an old leather-bound book and opened up to a page. He then handed the book over to Severus and Lily.

"The United was a collection of friends, who sought out to protect each other and their families from harm." Jessica informed the two.

Lily read the passages and it seemed that their were four Founding Members of "The United". They Were Yalarad, Braider, Dain, and Prince."

Severus was surprised that Salus Prince was one of the founding members. His Ancestor! A part of this Ancient Order.

"I find this quite interesting. It says that Salus Prince was a founding member of this little club."

"Yes, along with Salus Prince, there was Renner Dain, Bartholomew Braider, and Euchariah Yalarad."

"Why do you ask?" Tom inquired.

"Well, my mother is Eileen Prince."

A hushed silence was eminent throughout the room.

"Sev," Sam started. "Are you telling us, that you're a Prince?"

Severus scratched the back of his head, "I'm only half-blood."

"That doesn't nackin' matter!" Sam enthusiastically rang out. "Do you know how long it's been since this club has had a Prince in the club?"

Severus shook his head. "I wouldn't know."

"Too nackin' long!" Sam exclaimed. "Along with you, Tom, and I, we know make up three quarters of the Four Founding Members! All we need is..." Sam got quiet, "A member of Dain."

Lily looked at Sam. "You said Dain as if they were..."

"Wiped out." Maxwell finished. "That's because they were."

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know." Lily apologized. Sam nodded his head. "It's okay Lily."

"When were they..." "Nearly 20 years ago, I have to say 16, maybe 17 years ago."

Samual explained.

Severus racked his brain. "Wasn't that during the last Wizarding Conflict?"

"Yes, there was a huge blood feud between The Dains, and The Malfoys, and The Dains lost, but The Malfoys may have well as lost as well, since there are so few of them now." Tom finished as he put away his books.

"Well, I think I can speak for us all when I say it is wonderful to have you and Lily in The club Severus." Jessica smiled. Lily and Severus grinned in return as the meeting was closed.

Tom looked at Slink and gave him a look. Slink got up and went over to Sam. "Tom and I need a word." Sam looked at him and then to Tom. "Okay. Sev, Lily, I'll be right back."

Sam went out into the hallway, Tom and Slink followed him to a nook in the hallway where the three of them could have a conversation. "What is it?" Sam asked his friends.

"We think we may have something on one of the Marauders." Tom began. Sam looked at Tom. "May have something? That sounds like you aren't sure, whenever you bring something it's always definite."

"This is something where we just can't be that sure." Slink interrupted. Sam looked at Slink. "Jeez, this must be very serious what you two found out."

Tom pulled out a small file out of his pocket, grew it to its original size, and he then gave it to Sam. Sam opened the file and read it. His eyes widened to the size of dishes. "Where the hell did you get this?"

Slink shifted in spot. "I went looking around in Madam Pomfrey's offices after I sprained my ankle and found this file on her desk. I made a copy of it and put the original back on her desk."

Sam reread the file repeatedly. "I still can't believe this." Sam shrunk the file and pocketed it. "So, what do you want us to do?" Tom asked. Sam looked at his friends. "We keep this locked up. I don't want you two to tell anyone, especially none of our friends." Slink looked at Sam, "What you don't trust them?"

Sam shook his head. "It's not that I don't trust them, I trust everyone in that cabin with my life, as I'm sure they trust their lives with me!" He sighed rubbing his temples with his hand. "I just want this kept between as little people as possible. You get me?"

Tom and Slink shook their heads. They understood why Sam wanted this new information kept secret. "Okay Sam." Tom agreed. "Yeah, we'll keep it under wraps." Slink nodded.

"Okay let's head back in, let's not draw too much suspicion onto ourselves." Sam joked as headed back into the cabin.

* * *

><p>It was only an hour or so until they reached Platform 9 &amp; 34. Everybody was talking about what their Summer plans were as they gathered their things, information was passed around, mailing addresses and phone numbers.

"Lily this Summer you and I will have to meet up, it's been too long since I've had a Girlfriend to just hang out with." Jessica smiled.

"Definitely Jessica, do you mind if I bring my friend Alice along?" Lily asked her new friend.

"Please, the more the merrier. It beats chaperoning all of these boys." Jessica smirked.

"You know you love it...Mum!" Michael brayed as Riley, Maxwell, and Sebastian.

Jessica growled. "I hate it when you guys call me that!"

The laughter subsided as the train began to slow down. Sam took a look outside the window and saw that they were coming into the station. "Okay guys we're coming to the station, raise your hand if you need a ride to back to your home."

Jessica, Slink, Sebastian, and Lily raised their hands. Severus looked to be confused as he tugged on Lily's sleeve. "Hey, aren't you parents going to pick us up?"

Lily winced. "About that, I got a letter from my Dad a few days saying they weren't going to be able to pick us up, and that we'd need to find another way home."

"Sam, how are you going to get us home?" Severus asked Sam.

"Easy!" Sam smiled as he pulled out a set of car keys.

"You got a car?" Lily asked, Severus looked at Sam and was surprised. "Never mind that, you can drive?"

"Yes, to both questions. I got a beautiful blue 1950 Chevy Bel-Air." Sam explained as he got his bags down from the compartment above him. "I modified the car with several magical additions."

"A Bel-Air? Aren't those cars from America?" Severus asked.

"Yes, they are Sev!" Sam answered him.

"Well, those are illegal here in England, I mean the driving wheel is on the wrong side of the car!" Lily voiced her concerns.

"Don't you think I thought about that! The first thing I did was to put the steering wheel and the pedals on the right side of the car, so I'm covered!" Sam explained as he helped Tom get his satchel from the overhead compartment.

Severus' mind was at ease. "Okay, so long as you know what you're doing."

"Hey, trust me guys. I'll get you guys home safe!"

* * *

><p>Sirius Black was in a dismal mood. Summer Vacation was here, now for most students looked forward for the break away from school and the relaxation that came along with it. He did not share that sentiment for two reasons.<p>

One, during this time he would be separated from James, Peter and Remus. Two, Sirius would have to spend Summer Holiday with his Parents and little brother over at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Sirius moped as he gathered his belongings and stepped out of the train with his friends. Another reason he was a bit of a mood, was that he was still embarrassed from Sam Yalarad teaming up with Snivellus, and Evans to prank them.

Just as Sirius was going to hex the crap out of him. All of Sam's friends including Snivellus and Evans raised their wands against him, Peter and James. In the end, they were forced to retreat with their tails tucked between their legs.

All in all he was in a miserable mood.

"Pads? Padfoot!" Sirius snapped out of it. "Huh? What?" He asked.

"I asked you whether or not you're gonna Owl me and see if you can't sneak out to meet me in Diagon Alley in a week or so?" James asked him.

"Oh, yeah of course Prongs. I'll try but my bat of a mother is going to keep her eyes on me, making sure I stay at home." Sirius groaned.

"Well, I would suggest you two spend that time doing something resourceful, as doing your summer coursework." Remus advised.

Peter, Sirius, and James looked at Remus like he was crazy. "Right, silly me, for a moment I thought you three take your education at Hogwarts seriously." He sarcastically shot at his friends.

"What crawled up your arse Moony?" James joked as they got out of the train and got a carriage to carry their belongings.

"Yeah, you're beginning to sound like my Father." Sirius laughed. "'_When are you going to think about your future Sirius_?'"

The Marauders laughed, however Sirius' laughter quickly subsided. James, and Remus looked at his direction and saw Sam was helping his friends get their luggage down from the train along with Macbeth and Sebastian.

James looked at back and saw that Sirius already had his wand out. "Whoa Pads. Okay, I know you're still mad at Yally Boy and I am too, but you're not thinking straight. If you're caught doing magic here The Ministry is going to get involved, and I know you don't want that!"

Sirius growled as he put his wand away. "Fine, but I swear he's gonna get his!"

James nodded. "Damn right. If there was a convenient way to knock Yally boy on his ass I would!" James and Peter put the last of the bags on the carriage, and Sirius eyed it, and then looked back to see that Samual was all alone by the side of The Hogwart's Express.

James looked at where Sirius was looking and at that instance they both got the exact same idea. They both grabbed the handles of the carriage and backed it up.

Remus looked at them, and looked at Sam, and came to the realization. "No! Guys no! That's 100 pounds of luggage, that's really gonna hurt him, that could kill him!" Remus tried to talk them down from ramming the cart into Sam. Peter was watching on waiting for Sirius, and James to hit Sam.

"Sorry Moony, he's got it coming!" Sirius cackled as he and James started pushing the carriage into Sam.

Sam was unaware when James and Sirius built up speed and then let the carriage go to ram right into him.

Severus was helping shrink bags for everybody when he turned back and saw the fully loaded carriage head straight for Sam. "SAM!" Severus yelled.

Sam turned his head to see the carriage roll full speed, but by that time it was too late to stop it.

From James and Sirius' perspective the carriage ran right into Sam, pinning him right between the carriage and the train.

"Nailed him!" Sirius laughed, James laughed along with him, Remus held his head and saw what his friends had done.

All of Sam's friends gathered around to see if he was all right. "You fucking asshole Black!" Severus cursed as he went for his wand, but Tom stopped him.

"I'd hold off on any vendetta if I were you." Tom pointed at the carriage where Sam walked out from behind it.

James and Sirius were shocked, and Remus was relieved. The Carriage was moved away from the train, and Macbeth slowly moved from the back of it.

James and Sirius were now afraid for their lives. Macbeth was one person you did not want to get mad.

Macbeth scowled and with one mighty kick, forced the carriage back straight towards the Marauders.

James, Sirius, and Remus jumped out of the way, but Peter was too scared to move. The Carriage hit Peter, which flung him to the ground and then every piece of luggage fell on top of him with a thud each time.

Sam was wide-eyed and then turned to Macbeth. "You know we really got to work on your anger issues there Macbeth." Sam joked.

Tom then saw security come out and began to approach. "I believe we should be leaving now."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Sam looked at his friends. "SCATTER!"

Everyone got their belongings and ran in opposite directions.

Macbeth got with Maxwell and Riley and escaped with the use of a Portkey.

Xeno, Tom, Michael, and Nathan got to the Floo, and managed to get to Leaky Cauldron.

Everyone else followed Sam to the Muggle parking garages.

"What are we doing Sam?" Lily asked as they slowed their pace.

"We're looking for Webster." Sam told Lily.

"Who's Webster?" Severus asked.

Sam pointer to the car in the corner.

"That's Webster!"

They all approached the Blue 1950 Chevy Bel-Air. Severus took a look and saw that the steering wheel was on the right side of the car.

"Well that's all well and fine, but how are we going to fit in it? The car seems to barely fit all of us." Severus noticed.

"Covered!" Sam smiled. "When you get in and it seems like its too crowded the car will magically adjust to make sure every is seated comfortably."

Sam opened up the car doors and allowed Jessica, and Lily to get in first, they took the right side of the back seat. Slink and Sebastian got situated on the other side of the back. Severus managed to get shotgun, and closed his door. Sam got in and started the car with no troubles.

"Wow, you'd think that a car like this would have trouble starting after it hasn't been used for quite a while." Lily observed.

"That would be Webster taking care of the car!" Sam smiled as he put his seatbelt in.

Everyone else followed suit.

"Webster? Isn't that the car?" Severus asked.

Sam sat back in the seat and smiled. "Nope." Without hesitation the car began to operate by itself and began to back up out of it's parking space all by itself. It put itself in drive and began to go forward without the help of Sam, or the gas pedal.

Severus, and Lily were flabbergasted at what they were seeing.

"But, how? Why? I mean...Magic? But...what kind?" Severus sputtered.

Sam smiled. "Webster is the Specter that inhabits my car, or any type of electronic device it wishes."

"A Specter?" Lily asked. "I've never heard of one of those before."

"I can explain it to you if you'd like Lily." Sebastian offered. Lily shook her head yes. "Well, ghosts are spirits that have their own corporeal form, granted its see-through but they have their own form. Now, a Specter is the same type of spirit as a ghost, but a Specter doesn't have it's own corporeal form, so it goes from object to object, occasionally a muggle at times to get some stuff done."

Severus looked at the dashboard. "Where did you find this 'Webster?'" He asked Sam.

"Yeah, you never really explained that bit to us." Slink said.

"Spill the beans, where did Webster come from?" Jessica asked.

Sam took out a map. "Hey Jessica, where in London do you live again?" Sam covertly changed the topic.

Jessica sighed. "13 Kew Close, Greater London." She told him.

Sam took the controls from Webster and assumed the wheel. "Okay, let's get you guys home!"

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><p>Read and Review<p>

It means a lot to me.

Eileen smiled. "It's no trouble at all Sam, you can sleep in Severus' room tonight."

Severus then blanched, remembering how loudly Sam snored. "Uhh Mom?"


	6. Homeward Bound

Unfortunately I do not own Harry Potter or its Properties.

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><p>Sam drove to 13 Kew Close and parked in front of it.<p>

"13 Kew Close, all ashore who's going ashore!" Sam smiled and got out.

Severus got out and pulled the seat forward and helped Jessica out.

"Thank you Severus." Jessica smiled. She took a pencil and a piece of paper and wrote something on it as Sam and Severus got her bags.

She gave it to Lily. "Here's my number Lily, call me this summer!"

Lily smiled. "I'll be sure to call you in the morning so I can arrange an outing with you and Alice!"

"I'm looking forward to it!" Jessica grinned as she got her things and walked over to her house.

Severus and Sam got back in. "Okay, who's place is closer?" Sam asked everybody.

"Well, I live in Manchester." Sebastian told Sam.

"And I live right near the edge of London, in an apartment complex." Slink explained.

"Where exactly near the edge?" Sam asked.

"Like, a couple of miles outside of London, near Victoria Park, 17 Chisenhale Road." Slink gave the instructions.

"Okay, I'll have you there in a jiffy." Sam smiled.

"That's physically impossible." Sebastian joked.

"Well I'll have you there relatively quickly." Sam told Slink, he took the map out of the glove compartment and examined it for a bit.

"So, Slink tell me what are you planning on doing when you get out of Hogwarts?" Lily asked the scraggily Hufflepuff.

"Well, I'm hoping to get to the College of Potions and Alchemy after I graduate." Slink explained.

Severus turned around. "Oh yeah, and after college where do you want to be employed?"

"Well, I really would like to own an Apothecary, but that's when I'm an old codger. Before then I'd like to be employed by the Ministry, just going around experimenting with new ingredients, and making new potions." Slink smiled as he sat back.

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but in my class I'm the top student there, always at the top of my field." Severus smirked.

"That's true, he's always on the top of his game, and makes everyone else, including myself look bad." Lily chuckled.

"Well, if that's true," Slink grinned. "I sure would love to see who'd make the better potion Severus, you or I."

Severus chuckled. "Is that a challenge?"

"More of a friendly suggestion." Slink retorted.

"Stop it you two." Sam intervened in a fatherly tone. He put the map away in the glove compartment. "Ok, I know where we're going. Off we pop."

Sam turned on the car and they drove away.

* * *

><p>They drove for about 20 minutes and soon they were right outside Slink's apartment.<p>

"I appreciate it Sam." Slink thanked Sam.

"It's no problem Slink." Sam replied, he got out and pulled the seat forward so Slink could get out. Severus was already out and got Slink his belongings out of the boot.

"Thanks Sev. I'll be waiting to see if you'd be ready to take me up on that challenge." Slink teased.

Severus chuckled. "Well, you just name the time and place." Severus put his hand out and Slink shook it.

"Take it easy fellas!" Slink smiled as he went to his apartment complex.

Sam and Severus went back to their seats and Sam got the map out again. "Sebastian, I seem to recall that you live on St. Mary's Parsonage, right?"

"Yeah, you're right on the money, it's number 34 St. Mary's Parsonage." He told Sam.

Sam was looking on the map for the precise location of Sebastian's home.

"Sebastian, you're on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, aren't you?" Severus asked.

"Of course I am, I'm The Keeper. I'm quite surprised that you had to think about it." He smirked.

"Well, I'm not as into Quidditch as everyone in school."

Sebastian looked up and down Severus. "Is that right? It's a shame, you have the absolute perfect body type for a Seeker."

Severus perked his head up. "Really?"

"Oh yeah, without a doubt! The fact is, our Seeker, Deborah Haverford just graduated this year, so tell me if you want to try out for the position, and I'll tell Malfoy!" Sebastian smiled.

Severus froze at the name of Malfoy. He had forgotten that Lucius Malfoy extended an offer to join him at his family's home for the Summer Holiday. He sighed, he could always Owl him and just say he decided to spend the Summer Holiday back home.

Lily looked at Severus. "Sev, is something that matter?"

Severus glanced at Lily and shook his head no. "Sorry, I was just thinking." He turned back to Sebastian. "I'll think about it Sebastian, I have to let you know that my education comes first."

"Hey that's alright by me, just think about it." Sebastian smiled.

Sam put the map back in the glove box, and put the car into drive. "34 St. Mary's Parsonage, he we go!"

* * *

><p>It was nearly an hour till they got to 34 St. Mary's Parsonage.<p>

Sam parked the car, and got out so Sebastian could exit the car.

Sam opened the boot and got Sebastian his things. "Something I need to talk to you about Sam."

Sam nodded, closed the boot and was all ears.

"It seems that your guess was right, Barty Crouch Jr. is definitely in with Lucius and his gang of Wannabe Death-Eaters." Sebastian told Sam.

"Damn it." Sam groaned. "So, Crouch included, how many are there now?"

"Well, there's Malfoy, Nott, Avery, Wilkes, Mulciber, The LeStrange twins Rabastan and Rodolphus." Sebastian answered.

Sam nodded, "Okay so there's Eight of them."

"Nine, if you count her." Sebastian looked at Sam, whose head was looking down at the ground. "You know that if Rodolphus is in with them, then she's probably a part of them as well. She is betrothed to him." He told Sam.

"You don't know that, her family hasn't placed their loyalties with anyone yet, and from what I heard she hasn't sided with anyone yet." Sam replied.

"It's only basic reasoning. I mean she's been put on the record saying that, 'Purebloods are superior than Muggleborns' and such."

"Walburga Black has also said things like that, and she's married to an Auror for Pete's Sake."

Sebastian put a hand on Sam's shoulder. "I know you really like her. I just don't want to see you get hurt if she aligns herself with Lucius' gang of thugs." He got his bags and walked towards his apartment complex. "You deserve more than a Wannabe Death-Eater." Sebastian called back to Sam.

Sam sighed and walked back to his car and got in the seat and slid down it.

"Hey Sam, are you alright?" Lily asked him. "You and Sebastian were out there talking for a while."

Sam sat up straight in his seat. "Yeah, I'll be fine Lily."

Severus took one look at Sam, and could tell immediately that he was lying, but he decided to let it slide for now.

"Okay, so where do you two live?" Sam asked both Lily and Severus.

"Cokeworth." Lily said. "I live on Gimblett Road, just before Severus' house on Spinner's End."

Sam looked surprised. "Wow, so you two are just a stone's throw from each other."

Severus shrugged. "Yeah, I guess we are."

Sam took out the map and did a quick scan of the map, and at this time Severus decided to move from the front seat to the back.

"Keeping me company Sev?" Lily giggled.

Severus blushed a little. "If you want I can move back up." Lily grabbed Severus' arm. "I don't mind at all, stay!"

Severus' blush got noticeably redder as Lily moved closer and put her hand on Sev's forehead. "Do you have a fever or something Sev?"

"...Or something." Severus managed to speak after getting over Lily getting close to him.

Sam put the map away. "Okay, Cokeworth, here we come!"

He started up the car and off the three of them went off to Cokeworth.

* * *

><p>It was a long drive to Cokeworth, and Severus had fallen asleep.<p>

When he awoken he saw that Lily was leaning on his shoulder also asleep. He blushed and kept still wanting to stay like that for a while.

That all fell apart when Severus' eyes drifted to Sam...also asleep...at the wheel!

"What the Fuck?!" Severus yelled in terror, Lily awoke and yelped in fright, and Sam woke in shock. "Fucking Shit!"

Sam looked back at Severus, "What's the problem?" Severus looked at Sam accusingly. "You were asleep!"

Sam didn't look fazed. "Yeah." Severus narrowed his eyes. "You were asleep at the wheel!"

"Severus...I have no clue what you're getting at, what's the problem?"

"You were asleep at the wheel!" Severus got a bit angry. "We could have died!"

Sam got what Severus was going on about. "Ohh...sorry." He laughed. "I handed the wheel to Webster and he's driving now."

Severus got a bit calm and looked over to the wheel and saw that Webster was in fact driving the car as it came down a street and parked right in front of Lily's house.

"Ah, Lily it seems we've arrived at your home." Sam got out of the car, stretched his muscles, and looked up at the night sky.

Night was falling over the small town of Cokeworth. The sun was setting, the stars in all of their beauty began to shine, and the moon began to rise in the sky and show its illuminated figure.

Severus and Lily got out of the car, and looked up at the night sky as well.

"You know...I heard the Americans landed people up on the Moon, only to collect samples of Moon Rocks for their Wizarding friends to experiment on." Sam grinned.

Severus laughed. "I wish." He put his hands in his pockets. "I could only imagine what I'd do with one."

"Tell you what, if I ever come across a Moon Rock, I'll give you a chunk to use to your heart's content."

"You're too kind." Severus chuckled.

Sam went to the boot, and opened it and helped Lily with her things, as Severus helped her as well.

Lily went to the front door and ringed the bell.

The door unlatched and a red-haired middle aged woman with streaks of grey answered it. "Lily!" The two embraced in a hug. "I am so sorry we couldn't picked you and Severus up, your father is having car troubles again."

Lily sighed in mock exasperation. "The 'Green Machine' what's happened now?"

"Oh with that car, who knows?" Mrs. Evans sighed and looked at Severus. "Oh Severus, how wonderful it is to see you again." She went over and gave him a great big hug."

Severus returned the hug, "It's wonderful to see you again as well Mrs. Evans."

"Oh please Severus, call me Rose!" Rose smiled as they broke the hug, and Rose glanced over at Sam. "Oh hello, who are you?"

"Mum, this is Sam Yalarad." Lily introduced her mother to him. "He's a new friend and drove Sev and I back home!"

Rose smiled and gave Sam a small hug in return. "Thank you so much for bringing Lily back home."

Sam smiled and returned the small hug, "It was no trouble Mrs. Evans."

"Oh, call me Rose please!"

Lily looked around. "Mum, is...Petunia here?" She asked her Mother.

"No, I'm afraid she's out on another date with that foul Dursely Boy again." Rose groaned. "I swear, the manners on that boy makes you think he was born and raised by animals!"

A crash of tools in the adjoining garage, was swiftly followed with a groan of annoyance, and from an adjoining room a man with a tall stature, a head of brown hair and a tired expression on his face came in. "I swear that car is going to be the end of me Rose!"

"Hal! We have visitors." Rose turned to her Husband. Hal looked over and saw Severus and Sam.

"Oh Severus, how good to see you again, and..." Hal looked over at Sam and was a bit perplexed. "I'm sorry I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

Sam extended his hand and Hal shook it. "I'm Sam Yalarad Mr. Evans, I gave your daughter a ride home."

"Oh well that's good to hear." Hal looked out and saw Sam's Bel Air. "Good Lord, is that your car?"

Sam smiled and rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, its not much, but it's mine. So I hear that you've got car troubles, do you mind if I take a look?"

Hal brightened. "By all means, please have a look see." Hal opened the door, and led Sam inside.

Severus picked up a few of Lily's belongings. "Shall I bring these up to your room?"

"Oh Sev, you're too kind!" Lily smiled as he picked up the rest and the two headed up the stairs to Lily's room.

They walked in and Severus put her luggage down next to her bed. Lily put the rest of her belongings on her desk in her room and then plopped down on her bed. "Oh what a day it's been!" She sat up on her bed and patted the spot next to her. "Come sit with me Sev!"

Severus gulped silently and then slowly walked over to her side.

"Come on nowI won't bite!" Lily smiled.

Severus smiled softly as he sat next to Lily. For a short while there was nothing but silence until Lily leaned her head on Severus' shoulder.

"You worried me, this past year Sev." Lily confided in her friend.

"What do you mean?" Severus asked her.

"You've spent most of your time with Avery, and his goons...I had feared you would follow them into the dark." Her hands grasped his shirt gently. "For a while I thought you already have." A tear ran down her face before she wiped it away.

"Lily...I'd...never do something like that...I'd never hurt you like that, not ever in my life!" Severus swore.

Lily looked at Severus, and he in turn looked at her. Their faces leaned in towards each other, inch by inch.

"Lily...I..." Severus struggled to say it.

Sam barged in the room. "Hey guys!" He had a wide smile on his face.

Lily looked over at Sam with a smile...Severus leaned back so Lily wouldn't see her face and gave Sam the most bitter face he could muster.

"Uhh..." Sam saw Severus' face and lost his train of thought.

"What is it Sam?" Lily asked her friend.

"...Your father and I managed to fix The 'Green Machine'." Sam answered as he backed away from her door. "Come and see!"

Lily bounced up and followed Sam. "Come on Sev!"

Severus sighed and calmed down before he got up and walked down the stairs and went into the garage, where to his disbelief, The 'Green Machine' was up and running and sounded like new.

"I can't believe it!" Severus excaimed and then glanced at Sam, who was discreetly putting a wand away. "But then again, maybe I can."

Hal turned the car off and laughed in delight. "Oh Samuel! You're a genius!"

Sam looked a bit miffed. "Pardon me, but my name isn't Samuel, it's Samual."

Hal, and Rose looked at Sam. "Why is that? Was there a mix-up when drawing up the birth certificate?" Hal asked Sam.

"No, I was named after Samual Yon, an African Curse-Breaker who died after saving my mother from a curse, and when I was born my parent's decided to name me after him to honor his memory, and sacrifice he made." Hal and Rose understood.

"Speaking of mothers, Severus have you gone home yet? It's nearly 10 o'clock." Rose asked Severus.

"No, I should probably head home and ease her mind." Severus smirked.

Samual smiled and patted his arm. "I'll take you home. Just around the corner am I right?"

Severus nodded, but before he could leave Lily gently grabbed his arm. "What were you going to say? Back in my bedroom?"

Severus slightly blushed again. "I...I...I just wanted to say how much I value our friendship."

Lily smiled. "I value our friendship as well." She gave Severus a quick peck on the side of his cheek.

Severus blushed bright red as he said his goodbyes and got in the car with Sam and they drove up and around the bend and then parked in front of Severus' house.

Severus was slouched down in his seat, and rubbed his cheek affectionately. Sam chuckled. "Do you like Lily?"

Severus was silent, he wasn't too sure if he should tell Sam.

"I'm not going to tell her if that's what you're thinking. I wouldn't pull something that low on you, or any of my friends like that."

Severus sighed. "I don't like her." He looked at Sam who looked a bit confused. "I love her, and I always have since we were kids."

Sam winced. "I'm guessing when I barged in on you two I ruined the moment."

"Well you ruined something, I was trying to confess to her." Severus grunted.

That hit Sam like a ton of bricks. "Well, now I feel like a complete dick."

Severus smirked. "Well, it certainly wasn't my intention to make you feel like a dick."

Sam chuckled, and got out of the car. Severus got out and the two headed to the boot.

"So, do you have a girlfriend?" Severus asked Sam.

Sam looked up a bit shyly. "Well...no. There is someone I like, but I doubt she even knows I exist."

Severus raised an eye at Sam.

"It's not Lily!" Sam shot at Severus. "Don't get me wrong she's quite beautiful, but I'm not into redheads...if she had black hair though." Sam chuckled and giggled giddily.

"Black hair? Who exactly do you like?" Severus asked.

"Oh...umm...nobody in particular." Sam tried to change the subject. " So hey, let me help you with your bags!"

Severus scoffed and closed the boot and Sam nearly got his hands out in time before being crushed.

"Don't start with me! I told you that I liked Lily, now come on and tell me who do you like!" Severus implored Sam to share who he liked.

"Ummm..." Sam was being a bit shy and was tracing an eight in the ground with his shoe.

Severus sighed. "Okay look, how about a round of '20 Questions' is that fair?"

Sam brightened up. "Sure that's fair."

Severus was thinking of a first question "Does she go to Hogwarts?"

"Yes." Sam answered.

"Does she have black hair?"

"Yes."

"Is she in your House?"

"No."

"Gryffindor?"

"No."

"Ravenclaw?"

"No."

"Slytherin?" Severus asked a bit surprised.

"Yes." Sam smiled.

Severus was thinking about the black haired girls in his House. "Okay, is she over 3rd Year?"

"Yes." Sam answered as he opened the boot and got a couple of Severus' belongings out.

Severus took a suitcase and his bookbag. "Is she below 7th Year?"

Sam got all his other belongings out and then closed the boot. "Yeah."

"Is she Regina Bulstrode?" Severus asked.

"Nope." Sam replied.

"Aurora Zabini?"

"No, and that's 10 so far." Sam smirked.

Severus stroked his chin. "You're not giving me a lot of options here...wait is this girl already taken?"

Sam closed his mouth, but nodded his head to confirm Severus' question, "Yeah." He silently confirmed.

Severus pondered for a bit more. "Is it Evelyn Flint?"

"No." Sam leaned up against the closed boot.

Severus then came to one conclusion and dropped his suitcase. "Bellatrix Black?!"

"Yes, and by my estimates it only took you 13 guesses." Sam smirked.

"Bellatrix Black? As in betrothed to Rodolphus LeStrange, Bellatrix Black?!" Severus asked trying to wrap his head around it.

"Yes, Severus what is so hard to understand about this?"

Severus picked up his suitcase. "Sam, Bellatrix isn't just known for her beauty, she's also known for being a ruthless duelist with a mean streak of putting people in Madam Pomfrey's care!"

"That she is." Sam nodded.

"So, the question on my mind is...well...why?!" Severus asked his friend.

"That's...personal. You told me you just wanted to know who I liked, not why." Sam picked up Severus' belongings. "Want me to help you carry these into your house?"

Severus sighed. "Thank you, that would be kind." Severus dropped the subject of Bellatrix Black for now, but he still wanted to know Sam's reasoning for why he liked her.

Severus carried a few things to the door, got his key out and opened the door. The two of them went inside and saw the house was a quaint but magical home. Decorated evenly with modern muggle appliances and furniture, as well as some magical decorations.

"Lovely place you got here Severus!" Sam looked around as he put Severus' belongings down.

Severus shrugged. "It's not much, but it's home."

At that time they heard footsteps coming up a flight of stairs and then saw a side door open as a tall black haired woman dressed in some muggle clothes and an apron designed for working with potions and harmful ingredients, wearing a pair of magical eye goggles.

"Hello Mum." Severus smiled as he put his stuff down.

The Woman turned around, gave a great big smile and engulfed her son with a grand hug. "Oh Severus, it's so good to see you're home. How were your classes? How is Lily doing? Are those ruffians still causing you trouble?" She pelted Severus with several questions on his school year it was hard to keep up with her.

She glanced over at her bags, and pulled out her wand. "Let me help you with that my dear." With a wave of her wand his belongings began to float up to his room and began to unpack themselves. As she put away her wand, she finally noticed Sam, and had to do a double take. "I'm sorry, but have I met you before?"

"I'm afraid not Madam, this is the first time I've had the pleasure of your company." Sam smiled.

Severus introduced his friend. "Mum, this is Sam Yalarad my new friend who drove me here, and managed to help me with a few more things as well."

The woman took off her gloves and then took her goggles off to get a better look at Sam. Her dark eyes, were warm and inviting as she looked at him. "You look just like him." She softly muttered.

"Excuse me?" Sam asked. "I couldn't hear that."

"Oh nothing, I'm Eileen Snape, formerly Prince. It's so lovely to meet you, it's a rare occurrence that Severus brings over company, normally it's Lily whom I adore so much, she's like a daughter to me in some ways." Eileen sighed contently as she shook hands with Sam.

"The pleasure is all mine Miss Eileen." Sam smiled as they broke the handshake. "Well, it's been fun, but I must be on my way home now."

Severus looked at Sam. "Wait, what? You just got here."

"Well I do apologize, it's just that my father would want me home even though he's probably not going to be back for a while anyways."

Eileen looked at Sam. "And why is that, if I may ask."

"He just gets rather engrossed in his work and sometimes he doesn't come back home for certain amounts of time. So, I'm usually all alone at home, until Marie and Ernie get home." He explained.

"And Ernie and Marie are your siblings?" Severus asked.

"Yeah, they're my younger brother and sister."

"How long until they do get home?" Eileen asked Sam.

"Oh...about two weeks, at most." Sam estimated.

"Good Heavens, two weeks by your lonesome, well I'll won't be having any of that, you can stay here with us Sam." Eileen dictated.

"Oh please, I wouldn't want to impose on you two."

Eileen shook her head. "Sam, I insist at least until next Thursday, that way you won't be staying at home alone for that long, and when your siblings return you'll have only been home for a few days."

Sam thought about it for a while, and then turned to Severus. "Are you okay with me staying here for a tad bit?"

Severus smiled. "Sure, it'd be a nice change of pace having someone else around to talk to."

Sam turned back to Eileen. "Alright, if it's no trouble I'll stay for a short while."

Eileen smiled. "It's no trouble Sam, you can sleep in Severus' room tonight."

Severus then blanched, remembering how loudly Sam snored. "Uhh Mom?"

Eileen was about to head un the stairs before turning back to her son. "Yes Severus?"

"Can't Sam stay in the Guest Bedroom?" He asked his Mother.

She shook her head. "Not tonight I'm afraid, the guest room is filled with a couple of pieces of furniture that need to be moved out, plus I need to give that room a good cleaning before Sam can sleep in there, so I'm going to enlargen your bed so that Sam can sleep right next to you."

Severus' jaw dropped but then quickly popped back to place.

"I can take the couch if that's alright Miss Eileen." Sam suggested and Severus silently prayed for his mother to agree.

"And have you wake up with a crick in your neck? Absolutely not! A quick enlarging spell and you two will be sleeping comfortably for the night." Eileen smiled and headed up the stairs to her son's room.

"Hey Sev I'm gonna head back to my car and get a couple of things out of the boot, I'll be right back." Sam opened the door and went out to his car.

Severus stood there in the middle of the entrance and silently wept for the sleep he wasn't going to get this night.

* * *

><p>Eileen had finished enlarging Severus' bed and bid the two goodnight as she retired to her room. Her bedroom walls were painted with a sort of magic paint that changed to match the sort of furniture and colors in the room at the time, as of now the walls were a Forest Green that reminded her of her days at Hogwarts.<p>

She sighed as she took off her shoes and began to disrobe as she entered the shower to rinse off the sweat and grime from her working in her Potions Lab.

As she got out and dried herself out, she opened her closet and retrieved her old Hogwarts Yearbook from her last year there and placed it on the bed before getting dressed.

After putting her sleep attire on she got under the covers and skimmed through the pages of her old yearbook, and smiled at the nostalgia and the memories she had at the school.

Eileen then decided to do what she set out to do when getting the yearbook out of the closet, and then turned to the back of the book and took out a photo of her and her old flame. It was during the Winter Break and they opted to spend it over at Hogwarts and this was them outside embracing in a field of freshly fallen snow.

His eyes were that of sapphires that burned with a passion that no wind or water could ever extinguish, he had flowing brown hair that he kept in a ponytail, his smile reminded Eileen of diamonds that shone brightly in the light.

Her fingers traced the photo as if it was made of glass.

He was Eileen's first love, before meeting Tobias, and after breaking off her betrothal with a cousin of Abraxas Malfoy.

Eileen turned the photo around and looked at the writing that described the day the photo was taken.

'_**Silas and Eileen, Christmas Break at Hogwarts, 1951.'**_

* * *

><p>1:37 A.M.<p>

It had been almost three hours since everyone had gone to bed, but Severus was still awake. Why, you might ask? Well, Severus could not get to sleep due to Sam's loud snoring. Not only that but Sam moved while he slept which guaranteed Severus no sleep at all.

At one point in his sleep deprived night, Severus had toyed with the idea of smothering Sam in his sleep with a pillow, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

He took his pillow moved to his side and wrapped his pillow around his ears to block out Sam's snoring. Severus could only hope that Sam would stop moving in his sleep.

Severus closed his eyes in an attempt to fall asleep only to Sam to move once more and get right up next to Severus and begin snoring right behind his head. At this point Severus cried and wished that he had a pair of Everlasting Earplugs.

* * *

><p>It would mean a whole lot to me if you would leave a review on what you thought, and please share this with your friends or Harry Potter FanFic Friends!<p>

And now a scene form the upcoming chapter.

* * *

><p>Sam put his seatbelt on. "Why haven't you told Lily you love her?"<p>

"I'm afraid I might fuck things up between her and I, what's your excuse?"


	7. Boys Day Out Pt 1

I do not own Harry Potter or its properties.

* * *

><p>'Cha-Chinge.'<p>

Severus awoke to the sound of a camera going off. His eyes groggily opened as he looked up and saw Lily smiling, readying her camera for another picture.

"Lily?" Severus asked.

"Yes, Sev?" She grinned back.

"What are you doing?" Severus rubbed his eyes as the camera flash went off again. "Oh don't mind me, I'm just taking in this moment!" Lily grinned.

"What are you..." Severus tried to rise up out of his bed and felt that there was something holding him down, he looked at the obstruction and his eyes opened to the size of dinner plates.

Sam Yalarad had his arms wrapped around Severus' waist, and what was worse was that he was asleep.

"...Lily for Merlin's Sake help me get him off!" Severus implored his best friend. Lily stroked her chin in thought. "Nah, I'm going to head downstairs and get some breakfast that your mother is whipping up, later!" She smiled teasingly as she left Severus to deal with Sam.

Severus looked down at Sam who was in a very deep sleep as he snored as he did. Severus tried to pry Sam's arms off of him, but to no avail as his arms were locked in tightly.

"Sam?" Severus whispered. Sam was still asleep and Severus began to get annoyed.

"Sam!" Sam snorked a bit, smacked his lips, but was still asleep. "SAMUAL!" Severus yelled.

Sam rose up and yelled as he backed up and fell off the other side of the bed. "Oww." He got up and looked at Severus. "Man, what's your problem?"

"My problem?" Severus gritted his teeth. "My problem was you using me as some sort of Teddy Bear!"

Sam winced. "Ohh, sorry about that."

Severus grumbled. "The worst of all is that Lily took a picture of us like that!"

"She didn't!" Sam squeaked as he got up off the floor.

"She did." Severus sighed as he got up out of bed. "We can worry about that later, my Mum's cooking breakfast downstairs."

"Oh lovely!" Sam smiled.

Severus and Sam walked down the stairs in their pajamas, Severus wearing an old 'Led Zeppelin' T-Shirt with a pair of pajama shorts, while Sam had on a full pajama attire.

The pleasant aroma of assorted breakfast items drew the boys to the kitchen as Eileen was finishing cooking a nice tall stack of Hotcakes and placed them on the table where Lily was sitting.

"Good Morning you two, how did you sleep?" Eileen asked them.

"I slept great Miss Eileen." Sam smiled. Severus grumbled, "That makes one of us."

Sam laughed sheepishly as the two sat at the table. Eileen brought out the milk, and orange juice and joined them at the table.

"Miss Eileen, what do you do if I may ask?" Sam asked her as he took a few eggs off a plate onto his along with a few pieces of bacon, and two slices of toast.

"Well, I happen to run my own private potions business, and I am quite successful if I do say so myself!" Eileen smiled.

"Remarkable!" Lily complimented Eileen. "I had no idea that you were a privateer!"

"Oh Lily, I simply brew for a number of clients who simply need an expertly brewed potion that is too difficult for the average wizard to brew, such as 'The Draught of Living Death' or 'Felix Felicis, or if someone orders a vast amount of one potion in a short amount of time, then I am usually the person to turn to."

"Fantastic!" Sam smiled as he began to eat his breakfast. He swallowed his mouthful, "So if I may ask, where is Mr. Snape?"

Eileen looked a bit somber, Severus put his fork down, and Lily put a consoling arm on Severus' shoulder.

Sam came to an unpleasant realization. "Oh, oh Miss Eileen I'm so sorry."

"No, you're quite alright Sam. I just…haven't thought of Tobias for quite some time." Eileen admitted.

Sam nodded, and dropped the subject, for the last thing he wanted to do was to throw salt in the reopened wound.

Severus saw that Sam wanted to ask more, but didn't want to step on any toes. He sighed, "My father was working in the coal mines working when he got the call that my mother went into labor, and my father got in his car and rushed to the hospital…" Severus took a breath. "Only to get run over by a drunk driver."

Sam felt a ton of bricks hit his stomach. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well at least you've never had to deal with something like that." Severus said as he drank some milk.

"You'd think that, but you'd be wrong." Sam admitted.

Severus spat up some milk and coughed as Lily patted his back. Eileen looked at Sam who was looking down at the table.

"It was my mother, she died when I was Four, she had caught in the middle of a duel in Diagon Alley. My father left her behind a couple of barrels to retrieve a young boy who was hit with an errant curse in the middle of the street, and when the smoke settled, my mother was hit with a Confringo." Sam took a breath and sipped his milk. Eileen, Severus, and Lily were waiting in anticipation to continue.

"The worst part was that she was pregnant with my younger brother Ernie at the time. He took my mother, and the child to St. Mungo's, where my father was given a choice. You see my mother did not have the energy to give birth to Ernie and recover, and what was worse is that she had slipped into a coma, so the head surgeon went to my father with a decision. Save his wife and sacrifice my brother, or save my brother and sacrifice his wife. In the end, he chose to save Ernie, and stayed by my mother's side until she passed." Sam finished his tale and gently pushed his plate away, his hunger no longer an issue.

Eileen put a consoling hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that Sam, but if I may ask, who was the young child whom your Father saved?"

"A friend of mine, Nathaniel Clearwater." Sam answered.

"It was Nate?" Severus managed to speak. "I thought that he was born mute."

"Unfortunately that was not the case." Sam sighed.

"Your brother Ernie, is he...alright?" Lily unsurely asked Sam.

"He was born a month earlier but he managed to make it, however the Confringo that hit my mother managed to mess up Ernie up a bit as well. He has to walk with a leg brace on, granted it's barely noticeable, but...still."

Severus looked at Sam. "Well, at least you had time with your mother." He sympathized with his friend. Sam smiled a bit. "Yeah at least I did." He grasped his glass of milk and raised it. "To your Father." Severus raised his glass and clinked it along with Sam's glass. "To your Mother." Severus responded and the two drank as breakfast continued.

* * *

><p>After Breakfast Sam, Severus, and Lily decided to get their Summer Coursework over with and strapped in to do their Arithmancy. Severus and Lily sat upon the couch in the living room while Sam sat sideways in the lounge-chair.<p>

"You know what I find to be a bit disturbing?" Sam pondered out loud to his friends.

"What's that Sam?" Lily asked not taking her eyes off of her paper.

"The people over at Hogwarts don't know dick about Basic Algebra." Sam stated.

Severus took his eyes off of his paper and looked at Sam. "You mean the teachers?"

"Some teachers, but I'm talking about the students more specifically the students that come from Wizarding Families."

"What do you mean?" Lily asked Sam, now seeming to be interested by this topic.

"For example a few months ago I was in Arithmancy class and I hear Nott from the back of the room ask Madam Vector why the equation on the board had a number in it."

Severus and Lily shared a collective groan. "Well, Nott isn't known for being very smart." Severus quipped.

"All I'm saying is that I think students should at least know basic Math and Algebraic Equations like The Pythagorean Theorem."

"The what now?" Severus asked as he looked at Sam.

"Oh Severus no!" Sam groaned as he sat up. "Please tell me you're kidding."

Severus smirked as he began chuckling, Sam got into a huff as he knew he'd been tricked. "Asshole." He muttered as he got back into his studying, sporting a faint smile.

* * *

><p>They had begun their Charms homework and they had breezed through it quickly with only one question left.<p>

"Name the three variations of The Protego Charm. Hmm, well there's Protego Maxima." Sam started.

"Right, and Protego Totalum, but I'm not too sure on what the third one is." Severus thought out loud.

"Protego Horribilis." Lily stated as she wrote the answers down on her parchment.

"Look at the brain on Lily." Sam complimented Lily.

Severus and Sam wrote the answers down on their parchment as Lily put her stuff away. "What's next?" Lily asked her friends.

"Defense Against The Dark Arts." Severus answered as he took out his book.

Sam laughed. "I had all that summer work done ages ago. If you want you guys can copy of mine." He offered.

"I should think not Sam, if we just copied off your paper then we wouldn't learn anything now would we?" Lily smirked.

As tempted as Severus was he didn't want to seem...any less of a person in front of Lily. "Thanks, but I'm with Lily. We'll just do the work ourselves."

"You don't mind if I take a little rest?" Sam asked Severus and Lily. They didn't mind and then Sam reclined back into the chair and began to take a little nap.

A few minutes passed and Sam was sleeping soundly in the recliner.

"He looks rather content." Lily noticed, and Severus scoffed. "Just wait until he begins snoring, I swear he sounds just as loud as a car motor!"

"Oh Sev I'm sure he doesn't sound that loud!" Lily smirked.

Several more minutes passed and Sam began to snore. At first Lily was surprised that Sam produced a loud snoring, but soon dismissed it. A short while had passed and Sam's snoring had begun to become rather irksome to Lily. Severus had noticed this and began to be amused by it.

Lily began to be rather irritated at Sam's snoring and could not bring herself to work on her Defense Against The Dark Arts homework. Severus was there just smiling at Lily. "Oh, is something the matter?" He asked sarcastically.

Lily frowned. "Don't give me that Severus Snape! How the hell were you able to sleep last night?"

"Your guess is as good as mine." Severus shrugged.

Lily put her stuff away and groaned. "How are we going to get any work done while he's snoring like that?"

Severus closed his book and took out his wand. "There's a spell I'm developing that would keep people from listening in on conversations but that isn't going to be useful in this situation. So, then I was reading the Charm Textbook when I came across this spell."

Severus pointed his wand at Sam. "Silencio." Sam's snoring came to a silencing end.

Lily sighed. "Finally! Maybe we can get some work done."

Severus chuckled, "I'm going to have to take that off of him when he wakes up you know."

"Of course but for now let's just get our work done."

Sam woke up a while later, and Severus discreetly ended the spell and Sam began to yawn. "So, did you guys get it done?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah we got all of it done." Lily said.

"What's left?" Sam asked as he got his books and parchment.

"After Potions and Herbology I think we'll be done." Severus stretched his limbs before they all got into their Potions and Herbology homework.

The Potions homework was a breeze for Lily and Sam to get through with Severus there to help them with everything. The Homework was the basic work of describing the certain use of a potion ingredient and what potions they are used for.

Herbology was simple as just identifying poisonous types of plants from their counterparts which would heal the intended victim.

As they were finishing their homework Severus looked at Sam. "Sam, may I ask you something?"

"Ask away Severus." Sam didn't look up from his parchment until he was done writing.

"I probably already know the answer to this, but how did you fix Mr. Evans car?" Severus asked Sam.

Sam laughed. "Magic, a whole lot of magic."

Lily looked at Sam. "Couldn't you have repaired the car by conventional means?"

Sam laughed a bit harder. "Lily, that car was beyond the normal muggle means of repair!"

"So what did you do?" She asked her friend.

"Well, I did a couple of things, an advanced spell that repairs cars, a basic strengthening charm, and then for the hell of it I made the engine run on less petrol so the car will go for a lot longer without constant trips to the petrol stations." Sam explained.

"What was the repairing spell you used on the 'Green Machine?'" Severus asked.

"It's called, '_Automobilius Reparo_' it will repair most cars from most damage...the exception being total wrecks, y'know like complete total wrecks."

"I understand." Lily nodded. "But, why would you do something like that? Aren't you going to get in trouble with The Ministry?"

Sam smiled. "I did it because it was the right thing for me to do! Besides I'm guessing that your family has signed the 'Code of Secrecy' saying that they promise not to reveal that the Wizarding World exists right?"

"Now that you mentioned it, yeah they did sign something like that." Lily thought out loud.

"Since they sighed it, that means all future uses of magic in front of them are quite frankly legal in the eyes of The Ministry." Sam smiled as he laid back in the recliner.

Severus smirked. "You have an answer for everything don't you?"

Lily looked at the clock. "Goodness is it 6:30 already? I have to get back home to help my Mum with Dinner."

"Hey guys since we're done with all of our work, do you guys want to do something tomorrow?" Sam offered.

"I'm afraid not Sam, Jessica phoned me this morning and we're spending the day in London with Alice tomorrow." Lily explained as she gathered her things.

"Shame." Sam turned to Severus. "How about it Severus? You and Me, make it a little 'Men's Excursion' what do you say?"

Severus thought about it. "Oh what the Hell it's not like I have anything better to do anyway."

Sam cheered. "That's the spirit!"

* * *

><p>The following morning Severus and Sam woke up, and Severus remembered to use the Silencio spell on his bed so he was able to get somewhat of a restful sleep.<p>

"Why do you have to move so much when you sleep?" Severus groggily asked Sam.

"Don't blame me!" Sam groaned. Severus crossed his arms. "And why the bloody hell not?" "I'd just prefer if you didn't." Sam retorted.

Severus got his clothes for the day a black 'Black Sabbath' shirt, black jeans, and his nearly worn out trainers and Sam just looked at them. "Okay what?" Severus growled.

"Why do you got to wear so much dark clothes for? The sun is shining and you're going to be a bit too warm don't you think?" Sam looked over Severus' choice of clothes for the day.

Severus looked at Sam. "Who are you, my mother?" Sam raised his hands. "Whoa now I didn't mean to get under your skin Sev."

Severus sighed and changed out his black shirt for a shirt that was more of a greyish silver. "Happy?" Sam grinned. "Plenty!"

Severus smirked. "I'm gonna use the shower, I'll only be about ten minutes." Severus went to the bathroom and prepared his shower, while Sam was waiting in his bedroom.

Severus took a quick shower and brushed his teeth before wrapping his lower body with a towel before heading back to his room.

He entered and saw Sam scribbling in a small leather-bound journal. "You finished with your shower?"

Severus scoffed. "No, I just thought I'd come in and give you a little striptease." Sam began to laugh, clutching his sides as Severus joined him.

"Well, methinks you should save any type of striptease for Lily." Sam teased Severus who started to blush a bit. "Anyways it's my turn to shower." Sam got his change of clothes and went to the bathroom to take a shower.

Severus closed the door and began to changed into his clothes he set aside, and as he put his shirt on he began to dry his hair and with his towel and then comb it. His eyes went over to Sam's little journal. At first Severus didn't pay it no mind until curiosity got the better of him and he opened the journal to the page Sam had bookmarked.

To his surprise Sam's journal was filled with spells of every different kind, the page that was bookmarked was a charm called '_Humus Clavi_' or The Stalagmite Charm which once incanted at the ground would have several stalagmites erupt from the ground at an instant pace. He turned the page and it was another charm known as The Impact Charm and the incantation was '_Exigo_' which would blast back things with a powerful force. Severus then heard the bathroom door open and he quickly closed the book and put it back in its right place.

Sam opened the door and was dressed in a yellow and black striped shirt, blue jeans with a belt, and some shoes what Severus thought looked very nice.

"What type of shoes are those?" Severus asked Sam.

"Oh these things? They're called Converse All Stars. Y'know, Converses, Chuck Taylors, All Stars, Chucks, Shocks, Cons...nothing? Not ringing any bells?" Sam asked Severus who looked to be very confused. "I don't know whether or not you're still talking about shoes."

Sam chuckled. "Let me try again, these shoes are called Converse All Stars, do you like them?"

"Yes, they look rather stylish." Severus admitted.

"Who knows, maybe you'll get some for your birthday or for Christmas." Sam smiled. "Come on, it's nearly 9:00, and Lily wants us to pick her up."

Severus followed Sam out of his room and down the stairs. Eileen was sitting in the living room reading 'Witches Weekly' when the two came down.

"Hey Mum I'm gonna hang out with Sam at Diagon Alley today." Severus went over and kissed Eileen on the cheek.

"Alright Dear, will you be back home in time for supper?" Eileen asked her son.

Severus turned to Sam. "How long are we going to spend at Diagon Alley?" Sam was crunching the minutes in his head. "If we leave now I think we can make it back in time, around 7:30ish?"

"That's perfect, I'm making a roast, have fun you two and don't get into any trouble." Eillen smiled joking with the boys.

"I make no promises!" Sam chuckled. "Don't worry Miss Eileen I'll make sure Severus comes home safely." Sam smiled.

"And I'll make sure Sam doesn't do anything stupid." Severus smirked.

The two said their goodbyes and then went to Webster who started the car as Sam and Severus got in.

Severus felt a cool breeze hit his face and sat behind Sam comfortably in the car. "I thought that the car would be really hot when we would get in."

"And have to wait as the car would get cool, are you insane man?" Sam looked back at Severus. "No thank you."

Sam started the car and drove to Lily's house. As Sam parked in front of her house, Lily stormed out of her home in a pink shirt with blues jeans, and trainers as a girl Sam hadn't seen began to yell at Lily as she got into the car.

"Drive." Lily said, ignoring the girl's insults.

Sam took one look at her face and then began to drive away from her house. Sam got onto the motorway before he spoke. "So...who was..."

"I don't want to talk about it." Lily interrupted Sam in a huff.

"Okay." Sam took a look in the rearview mirror and looked at Severus, and wondered if he could tell him who that other girl was.

* * *

><p>Sam rolled up to 13 Kew Close to pick up Jessica and parked in front of her house and honked the horn twice. The door opened and Jessica dressed in a Lime Green Sundress with a pair of brown sandals and walked over to Webster. Sam got out and pulled the seat back so she could get in.<p>

"Thanks for picking me up Sam." Jessica thanked Sam as she sat in her seat.

"It's no problem Jessica." Sam got back in, adjusted his seat and got back on the road.

Jessica took one good look at Lily and knew something was wrong. "Lily is something the matter?"

Lily looked at Jessica and sighed. "Wait until later okay?"

Sam looked in the rearview mirror. "So...where am I dropping you two off at?"

"Drop us off at Trafalgar Square, we're going to meet Alice over there." Lily told Sam.

Sam drove through traffic until he parked right in front of Nelson's Column. Severus got out to let Jessica and Lily exit the car.

"Hey Lily!" Lily turned around to see Alice Stewart in a red blouse and brown shorts run to Lily and embrace her in a tight hug.

"Alice I missed you when we were leaving, how have you been?" Lily asked her friend.

"I've been doing pretty well, the summer coursework is killing me though." Alice complained sarcastically as she took a look at Sam. "You're the guy who sold those pictures of the Marauders in those dresses before the end of class."

Sam chuckled. "Yeah that was me, Sam Yalarad." She shook hands with her. "And I made a killing off of those photos." He showed a full bag of knuts that was filled to the brim that barely fit in the palm of his hand. Sam looked at Alice, she had short chocolate brown hair, olive colored eyes and a cheerful smile. "Alice Stewart, am I right?"

"Yes that's me," She turned to see Severus. "Severus Snape you get over here." Severus smiled and walked over to receive a hug from Alice, she was one of the few Gryffindors that treated Severus well before meeting his new Gryffindor friends in The United. "Well, if I may I'd like to steal Lily and Jessica away from you two boys if that's okay."

"By all means have fun today you three." Sam smiled as Lily, Alice, and Jessica began to walk off. "Hey Jessica?" Jessica looked back at Sam. "Before you go, a word please."

She walked back over to Sam. "What is it?"

"Keep an eye on Lily, she's putting on a nice face, but something is eating at her." Sam put the bag of knuts in her hand. "On me, okay?"

Jessica smiled and gave Sam a great hug wrapping her arms around his neck. "You're the best Sam." She pecked Sam on the cheek and then went off with Lily and Alice.

Sam smiled and then went back to the car, and Severus followed suit and sat right next to him.

"She's totally into you." Severus pointed out. "I know." Sam acknowledged.

"So, why aren't you dating her instead of fawning after a girl whom you can never be with?" Severus asked Sam as he put his seatbelt on.

Sam put on seatbelt on. "Why haven't you told Lily you love her?"

"I'm afraid I might fuck things up between her and I, what's your excuse?"

"Okay that's a legitimate reason." Sam started up the car, and waited for traffic to die down before getting back into the lane.

"So what's wrong with Jessica?" Severus asked his friend.

"Nothing is wrong with Jessica, but there are two really good reasons why I can't date Jessica." Sam began to explain.

"Do tell." Severus crossed his arms.

"One, she isn't Bellatrix."

"Oh that's a really good reason right there." Severus sarcastically commented.

"Two, Sebastian might get a bit miffed if I went out with Jessica, seeing how he has a thing for her."

Severus' eyes widened. "Sebastian has a crush on Jessica?" Sam nodded. "Yep. Why do you think he sat right next to her when I was driving them back home?"

Severus realized what he said was true. "Ok, but you still haven't explained why you're so keen on dating Bellatrix."

"You're right." Sam saw a gap in traffic and sped into the lane throwing Severus back into his seat. "Hwooah!" Severus grunted as he hit the back of the seat. "You Dick."

Sam grinned as he sped over to The Leaky Cauldron, and it was a short drive away before they arrived.

Sam parked his car right in front of the entrance, and got out.

Severus got out as well. "If you wanted to change the subject you could have just said so."

"Well, I could have but you seem like the type of person not to get rolled into changing the subject. "But, since we are on the subject of changing the subject. Who was that girl who was shouting at Lily?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "That would be Petunia Evans, Lily's older sister." He explained with contempt in his voice. "She's jealous that Lily has magic and she doesn't and enjoys calling her and I very unpleasant names because of that fact."

"Yeesh, sorry to hear that." Sam winced. "She sounds rather unpleasant."

"Trust me, unpleasant is only the first word on how to explain Petunia." Severus emphasized.

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus walked into The Leaky Cauldron and walked through to the brick wall that would lead into Diagon Alley.<p>

Sam looked at Severus. "Well?" Severus looked back. "Well what?"

"Do the thing," Sam told Severus. "The whole 'touch the wall in the correct pattern to open the magic door to enter Diagon Alley' thing."

"I've never paid any attention to that sort of thing." Severus slightly panicked.

Sam groaned. "Great, locked out of Diagon Alley. This will be a great story to tell my children."

"You mean your nonexistent children?" Severus smirked.

"Oh shut up!" Sam grunted. "Let me try something." He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the wall. '_Alohamora_!' Nothing happened.

"That better had not have been your only plan." Severus nagged Sam.

"What was I supposed to do? Just say '_Open Sesame_' and..." When those words left his mouth the brick wall leading to Diagon Alley began to open and soon the path was open for Severus and Sam. "Well I'll be damned!"

"That was just pure luck." Severus pointed out. "So what? We're in, now come on!" Sam grinned as he pulled his friend into Diagon Alley.

They walked by a couple of shops along with Flourish and Blott's, Madame Malkin's, and Florean's. They walked in front of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

"Hey Sev wait a sec." Sam asked of his friend. "I gave all of the photo money to Jessica, so I got to go withdraw some money from a vault."

"Do you want me to wait out here?" Severus asked. "No, come in with me. Keep me company." Sam smiled.

The two of them walked into Gringotts and walked up to the counter where a Goblin was doing paperwork. Sam waited patiently until the Goblin was done.

The Goblin looked up at Sam, and immediately straightened up. "Lord Yalarad, how good it is to see you once more."

Severus did a double take at Sam. Sam sighed. "Hello again Tybalt. I must reiterate, I am no Lord, I will not be Lord until my Father relinquishes the title upon me, and let's hope that doesn't happen for a while."

Tybalt shook his head. "And how may I be of service to you?"

"Well I need to make a withdrawal if that isn't too much trouble." Sam explained.

"Is there a vault in particular you would like to withdraw from?"

"Yes please, Vault 945." Sam told Tybalt.

"Shall I have the money brought up to you or would you like to venture down to the vault as per your usual?" Tybalt asked Sam.

"The usual ride down please!" Sam smiled. "I shall have a Goblin accompany you down to the cart." Tybalt got off of his seat and went back to find another goblin.

Sam turned around and saw Severus look at him. "Lord Yalarad?" He asked.

"Please don't start with that Severus I'm begging you." Sam beseeched his friend.

"I just want to know why you're called a Lord by that Goblin." Severus said.

"Okay, since I am Heir to The House of Yalarad, that means my father is 'Lord Yalarad' and when either he steps down or dies, Heaven forbid, then all properties, money, and the entirety of the Yalarad estate would go to me." Sam explained.

A Goblin walked around the counter. "If you would be so kind as to follow me please."

Sam followed the Goblin to the railways, but turned back to see Severus still standing there. "Well what are you waiting for? Come on!" Sam invited his friend follow him down to the vaults.

Severus sighed and gave in. "I suppose you expect me to ride down with you in one of those God awful carts."

"Yep! It's like a Roller-Coaster. Fast and Fun!" Sam smiled.

"You're insane." Severus realized. "I am friends with a madman."

"And you love me for it!" Sam grinned.

* * *

><p>(A.N.) The sheer size of this chapter would have been over 9000 words if I kept writing so I split them into two parts.<p>

Please do me a favor, Read and Review, Favorite and Follow my story that would be great! And share it with your friends!

And now a preview of the next chapter.

* * *

><p>Michael pulled out his deck of cards. "Hey Mulciber, here's a picture of me shagging your Mother."<p>

Michael showed Mulciber the card, and Nott, Avery, and Wilkes began to point and laugh while Mulciber with anger in his eyes began to pull out his wand.


	8. Boys Day Out Pt 2

I do not own Harry Potter or it's intellectual properties.

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus followed the Goblin over to the railway where they all got in the cart and began making their way to Sam's vault.<p>

"Please keep your limbs inside the cart at all times while the cart is in motion." The Goblin advised as the began moving.

"Trust me, I have no intention of losing anything." Severus buckled, braced, and readied himself for the wild ride.

Sam buckled himself in as well. "Oh come on Severus I'm sure nobody has died while riding the railway." He turned back to the Goblin steering the cart. "Right?"

The Goblin looked ahead, "Mind the drop."

Severus and Sam looked at one another before looking ahead to see a drop, and soon they were heading down to the bottom of the bank reaching maximum speeds.

Severus opened his mouth to scream, but at the speeds that the cart had reached such speeds that the wind that roared past them muffled his screams of sheer terror.

All the while Sam was loving the wild ride that he was on. His face was that of enjoyment.

The cart slowed down as it reached level nine and slowed to Vault 945. "Vault Nine-Hundred and Forty Five." The Goblin called out as he got out.

"That was fun! Right Sev?" Sam turned to Severus whose fingers had managed to dig into the railing. "Sev?"

Severus had a frozen look of terror on his face as Sam poked him. "Severus buddy are you alright?"

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Severus screamed out as Sam shook his friend. "Severus, Severus, SEVERUS!" Sam yelled at his friend. "Get a grip, it's over! The Cart ride is over!"

Severus snapped out of it and was jolted back into the world of non-movement. "It's...it's over?"

"Yeah buddy. It's okay we don't have to ride the cart back up, we can just take the elevator." Sam assured his friend.

Severus began to look at Sam with an enraged look in his eye. "We...could have...taken the elevator?"

"Well, yeah but that wouldn't have been as fun as riding the rails now would it?" Sam asked his friend.

Severus looked at Sam as if he wanted to strangle him, but suddenly felt sick and then quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over the side and puked.

"Oh...dear. Okay, let it all out." Sam patted Severus on the back. "Everybody vomits on their first ride down here."

After Severus was done vomiting Sam helped him out of the cart and walked with him towards the vault.

"Vault 945, stand back please." The Goblin then used both of his hands and traced a pattern into the door until the locks unlatched and the doors opened.

Severus' eyes widened as he saw that the vault was filled up to the ceiling with several huge piles of Galleons, Knuts, and Sickles. "Oh Dear Merlin." Severus was shocked on how much money was in this vault.

Sam looked around and found a sled. "Awesome! It's still here! Come along Sev!" Sam picked up the sled and began to hike up the mountain of Galleons.

Severus looked at Sam and then followed Sam up the mountain of Galleons. "Are you doing what I think you're going to do?"

"You mean are 'we' going to do what you think we're going to do?" Sam smiled back at Severus.

"Do you mean ride that sled down the mountain of money?" Severus said. "That sounds like the fever dream of a multi-million pound mogul."

"Are you in or what?" Sam asked Severus as they reached the the top. "Oh come on Severus, just one time! When are you ever going to have this opportunity ever again to literally ride a sled down a big pile of money?"

Severus sighed as he looked at the sled. "Any chance you can make that sled any bigger?"

Sam smiled as he pulled out his wand and enlarged it so it could comfortably fit the two of them. He put his wand away and got on the sled and beckoned Severus to join him. "Hop on!"

Severus chuckled and got on the sled. "I'm guessing you've done this before."

"Oh plenty of times. Ever since I was a kid, the Goblins know me as 'that loony kid who loves to ride down mountains of Galleons.'"

"Have you done this with someone riding with you?" Severus asked Sam.

"You're the second I've had ride with me." Sam admitted.

"And who was the first?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"Xeno was." Sam grinned. "Okay here we go!"

Sam and Severus tilted over the edge and began to slide down the mountain of Galleons. Unlike the cart ride over to the Vault, Severus enjoyed the sled ride down the mountain of Galleons. The ride was over as they slowed their descent down into the floor. Sam and Severus laughed hysterically as they got up.

"That was insane, incredible, and all-around one of the best experiences I've ever had!" Severus declared.

"Yeah, I'm really glad you enjoyed that, I had a feeling you would, but now onto the matter I came here for." Sam put away the sled and took out a velvet bag and began to take a couple of handfuls of Galleons and put them inside the bag.

"Hey Severus while we're here do you want to withdraw some money from your account?" Sam asked Severus.

"I'm afraid not." Severus sighed as he put his hands in his pockets.

"Why not? Your Mother's Potion business..." Sam began.

"Barely makes enough to send me to Hogwarts every year, along with all my supplies and everything." Severus looked down at the ground.

Sam took a deep breath. "Right that settles it." He pocketed his bags of Galleons and then went back to the cart and got an armful of several burlap sacks, went back into the Vault and handed them to Severus.

Severus looked at Sam. "No!" Severus gave the bags back to Sam.

"Severus it's not a big deal, take these bags and fill them up with as much as you can stuff in them and take them to your Vault." Sam put the bags back into Severus' arms.

Severus put the bags back into Sam's arms, "I'm not going to take money out of your pockets!"

Sam guffawed, "Severus you'd have to take more then a few bags of Galleons to put a dent into my family fortune."

"That may be, but I'm still not going to take your money!" Severus crossed his arms.

Sam put the bags back in Severus' hands. "Severus its no big deal, I want you to have it."

Severus got a bit mad and shoved them back into Sam's arms. "Well I don't want or need your pity!"

Sam looked at Severus. "My God, have you been shit on by The Marauders so much you don't realize when people are genuinely trying to help you? Severus, this isn't pity, this isn't mercy, and this isn't some backhanded way to manipulate you."

Sam sighed and put the sacks down. "Severus, when you joined "The United" you became part of a bigger family of friends who take care of one another. We take care of each other in this group. If you have troubles with your grades we'll help you! If you have financial burdens or in case something bad happens to you, we'll take care of you."

Severus' eyes started to water as he just wiped his eyes from any moisture. Sam put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm your friend Severus, it's not just Lily and you anymore. Now you got a whole bunch of friends who are willing to risk their necks for you. You want to know what true friendship is?" Sam asked Severus. Severus looked at The Hufflepuff. "True Friendship is a whole lot rarer than love because its where people don't expect to get anything out of it from the other person." Sam slowly hugged Severus to get his point across. "You're not alone Severus, not any more."

Severus let himself silently cry for a small instance before breaking the hug and wiping his tears away. "I guess...I could take a bag."

"All of the bags, Severus. Money shouldn't be an obstacle to get an education." Sam picked up the bags and put them in Severus' arms.

"If you really want me to, then I'll take the money." Severus lightened up. Sam sighed in relief. "Thank you, it'll ease my mind knowing you'll have your school costs covered."

"I just hate thinking that I'm taking money from out of your pocket." Severus said as he went to a pile of Galleons and began shoveling them into the burlap sacks.

"Well, Severus you'd be wrong." Sam smiled. "This isn't even my Vault, it's a spare vault owned by my family. One of twenty spare Vaults containing money."

"Twenty Spare Vaults, how many Vaults do your family have?"

"Well, one Vault for each of my family members...twenty for money, ten for jewels, ten for precious metals, five for important documents, three for jewelry, two for other assorted valuables, and one for some antique furniture. So there are I think if I did my math right, Fifty-five Vaults altogether from Vault 934 to Vault 989." Sam explained.

"How on Earth did you family get so many vaults?!" Severus asked his friend.

"That's all thanks to my grandfather. Sherwood Yalarad, the owner of Sherwood Imports. The number one Wizarding import and export business in the world, but before that..." Sam sat on a pile of sickles and played with some coins. "Before that we got half of our wealth by..." Sam trailed off.

Severus sighed. "Look, if you don't want to talk about it, that's fine by me."

"Back in Medieval Times, my family was known for fighting in wars, battles, and blood disputes and winning them. Every single enemy who dared to wrong us would end up dead, and we'd take their riches for our own." Sam took a deep breath. "That's who we were Severus, not who we are, and if I ever got to a point where I have a disregard for human life, where I don't bat an eye to take another human life away, good or evil, do me a favor Severus, knock some sense into me."

"Gladly." Severus filled one bag and put it aside. Sam went over and the began to fill the other bags along with Severus and all the burlap bags were filled with Galleons.

"Six bags stuffed to the brim with galleons. That should take care of the rest of your time at Hogwarts as well as any future education." Sam patted Severus on the shoulder. "Come on, let's take these to your Vault and then we can pop off."

* * *

><p>Severus and Sam left Gringotts with a bag of Galleons in their hands and put them away in their pockets.<p>

Severus was looking at his receipt that he was given by Tybalt. "Ninety-Eight Hundred Galleons. That's how much you gave me, Ninety-Eight Hundred!"

"Don't make a big deal out of it Severus, picture it like this. If my family lost 20,000 Galleons a year, we'd be broke in...a very fucking long time." Sam smiled.

Severus looked at Sam. "Aren't you worried?" "About what?" Sam asked.

"Well, what is your father going to think about you giving this money to me?" Severus asked.

Sam just looked at Severus. "Severus...we have 20 vaults specifically for Galleons that will probably expand if my Grandfather decides to expand his business...which he might."

"Don't you worry about the future?" Severus looked at Sam.

"Well, yeah I do, but it's not doing me any good worrying about things that may not be. I like to worry about the now, and right now I'm starving!"

Severus chuckled. "Well, since you gave me so much money, I'll be buying you brunch, and don't you dare say anything otherwise."

"Okay Severus, do you think we can go to Redd's Place?" Sam's eyes brightened as he asked his friend.

"Redd's Place? I don't think I've ever heard of that place." He racked his head for any information for that place.

"Oh, then you are missing out big time! It's right near Obscura Books, come on!" Sam led Severus to a simple restaurant that blended in with the rest of the environment.

When Severus entered the establishment his nose was hit with a wall of delicious scents from his favorite foods, it was if he was eating them right now. There was a small line up to the counter where people ordered their food. Severus looked around for a menu or any specials but couldn't find anything resembling a menu.

"Where's the menu?" Severus asked Sam, his eyes looked around the restaurant for a damn menu.

"What...oh! That's right you've never been here before. Well, they do things here differently Sev. Instead of them telling you what they have to eat, you tell them what you're in the mood for and they make it for you!" Sam explained how Redd's Place worked.

"Shut up, really?" Severus was gobsmacked.

"Yeah, come on up!" Sam dragged Severus up to the counter to order their food. The man behind the counter was wearing a grey shirt, with a blue apron his skin was tan and his smile brightened up the room.

"Hello welcome to Redd's Place! May I take your order?" The Man asked.

"Yeah, can I get a stuffed omelet with cheddar, provolone, asiago, and colby jack cheeses, mushrooms, green and banana peppers, and onion. Let me think, a great 12oz steak medium rare, and tater tots!"

The man took Sam's order down and gave him a glass jar. He turned to Severus, "And what can I get for you?"

"Umm...are you still serving breakfast?" Severus asked the man. The man laughed heartily. "Only 24/7 pal, now what would you like?"

"Well...can I get two big pancakes with a lot of syrup and whipped butter, two scrambled eggs, sausage, ham and a lot of bacon, toast and homefries!" Severus' mouth began to water as he described his brunch to the man.

"What type of bread?" The Man asked as he was writing his order down.

"Oh, uh...sourdough." Severus said, and he was handed a glass jar the same as Sam.

"Your total is 4 Galleons, 10 Knuts, and 5 Sickles you can pay on your way out." The Man gave Severus his receipt.

"Thank you." Sam and Severus began to find a seat. "Wait I didn't get to order a drink."

"Oh Severus, that's why he gave us jars." Sam found a seat near the window, and Sev sat across from him.

"What are these? Refilling Jars? Don't we need a liquid to go in them first in order for them to refill."

Sam smirked, he held his glass jar up. "Orange Juice." The Jar began to fill up with Orange Juice as Severus looked in amazement. "Just tell it what you want to drink and it will automatically fill it with any beverage."

"Any drink?" Severus asked. "Well, not anything alcoholic, we're still kids you know." Sam grinned.

Severus chuckled. "Coca-Cola!" He said, thinking the jar would never fill itself with a muggle refreshment, but to his surprise it began to fill up with the sweet tasting cola.

Severus put the jar to his lips and drank. "Holy Shit that's Coca-Cola!" He exclaimed.

Sam laughed. "Slink tried tricking the jar the last time we were here, but it always came up with the exact same thing he ordered, no matter how much he muttered or went into great detail." Sam drank his orange juice and looked out the window to see Slink, Tom and Sebastian walking through Diagon Alley. Sam knocked on the glass and got Slink's attention along with Tom's and Sebastian's attention as well.

They waved at Sam and began to head into Redd's Place to join Severus and Sam.

"Sam, Severus, how's tricks?" Sebastian asked them.

"We're doing all right, just ordered some brunch for us." Sam answered.

"You ever been here before Severus?" Slink asked Severus as he took a sip from his cola.

"No, this is my first time." Severus told Slink. "Did you try and trick the jar by filling it with a muggle soda?"

"Actually yeah, I'm drinking Coca-Cola, I didn't think that it would fill the jar with it." Severus admitted.

Sebastian looked around. "Hey where's Lily?"

"She's out with Jessica and Alice Stewart on a little Girl's Day in Muggle London." Severus told him, and Severus could see a faint smile form on Sebastian's face.

The food came out to Severus and Sam a few minutes later and Severus bugged out to see that the pancakes he ordered were the size of manhole covers, and that along with his eggs, tater tots and such, he got an entire plate of bacon on the size.

"Dear Merlin, I don't think I can eat all of this by myself!" Severus looked at all the food that he ordered.

"I'll take that as an invitation!" Sebastian took a few strips of bacon.

"By all means help yourself!" Severus invited everyone to take some food off of his plate.

"Don't take too much though, you don't want ol' Severus to waste away like a skeleton." Sam grinned as he took a bite of his omelet.

"What do you mean?" Severus raised his eyebrow as he asked Sam.

"Well, I think what Sam is trying to say is...you could stand to gain some weight." Tom stated.

Severus looked at his frame, true he was skinny but he never thought he could stand to gain some weight.

"You're as skinny as a twig." Slink added.

"Ok..but..." Severus tried to respond.

"You're just skin and bones." Sebastian added jokingly.

"Ok ha-ha..." Severus sarcastically chuckled.

Sam cut into his steak. "You're so skinny that you got to strap skis onto your feet to stop you from falling down the drain!"

"OKAY! I get it! Thank you Moms!" Severus sighed and cut into his pancake, and took a bite, but Slink then took the cup of syrup and poured a bit of syrup on his pancakes.

"Have some syrup Severus!" Slink said in a mock-motherly tone. "Makes your pancakes taste better!"

Severus just shook his head. "You guys are too much!" He smirked.

"Too much awesome." Sam added.

* * *

><p>After brunch was done Severus went to the register to pay for the decided to join Severus up front, and Tom and Slink looked at Sam. "May I help you?" He asked his friends.<p>

"Sam...umm how much do you trust Severus?" Slink whispered to Sam.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked his friend quietly.

"Well we were going to tell Severus about us." Tom whispered.

"Us?" Sam asked. Slink and Tom held a hand with each other on the table. "Oh, OH! That's what you meant, yeah go ahead he's very understanding, but I don't think you need to rush in to tell him. Just make sure you guys are comfortable with telling him instead of you coming to me seeing if he's going to understand."

Tom and Slink shook their heads. "Thanks Sam." Sam smiled and shook his head.

The three joined Sebastian and Severus up front and the five of them walked out of the restaurant and browsed around Diagon Alley.

"So, why were you three here?" Severus asked Slink, Sebastian, and Tom.

"I have an internship with Obscura Books." Tom beamed with pride. "And I foolishly used up my lunch break to hang with you guys." He took a look at his wristwatch. "And now I have to head back, if you'll excuse me."

Tom said his goodbyes, and hugged Slink tightly before leaving to go back to his internship.

Slinks sighed before putting on a smile and looking back to Sebastian, Sam, and Severus. "Okay, so what do you guys want to do now?"

Sebastian shrugged. "Junk Shop?" Sam smiled. "Junk Shop!" Severus looked confused. "Junk Shop?" Slink grinned. "Junk Shop!"

"Junk Shop!" Sam, Sebastian, and Slink roared in glee as they walked down Diagon Alley, leaving Severus in a haze of confusion. "I must be mad or something to hang out with these guys." Severus walked quickly to catch up with his friends.

The four walked down Diagon Alley and passed by Knockturn Alley. "Where do you think you're going Severus?" A voice rang out from the darkness of Knockturn.

Severus stopped in his tracks and turned around to see Mulciber, Avery, Nott, and Wilkes walk out of Knockturn Alley and stand right across him.

"Ian." Severus acknowledged Mulciber. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just out for a walk with my friends...and I was wondering where you were...friend." Ian Mulciber stressed that last word.

Sam looked back and cursed. "Damn it." He stopped Sebastian and Slink, and immediately the fell in behind Severus.

Mulciber and his group backed up a bit. "Decided to trade in...Snape?"

"Listen Mulciber I don't mean any offense."

"Well, offense taken, and I thought you were with Lucius and I, but it seems as if you've thrown in your hat with the blood traitor, and the Muggleborns." Mulciber's mouth snarled in hatred. "And to think I took pity on you, you're nothing but a pitiful Mudblood unworthy to be in Slytherin!"

Sebastian tried to confront Mulciber, but was stopped by Sam. "No...not here." He whispered to Sebastian.

Sebastian eased back and Sam stepped forward to Severus' side. "Unworthy to be in Slytherin? The way I see it, Severus Snape has every right to be in Slytherin, Hell he could be in every house if he saw fit. The only people I see who are unworthy to be in Slytherin are you four." Sam stood there and spoke his mind.

"You dare?!" Avery growled. "Yes, I dare." Sam shot back. "Look at you lot, a bunch of cowards who flock to an ideal they see fit to their status. It's because of people like you who give Pureblood Wizards a bad name."

Mulciber pulled out his wand, and Avery, Wilkes, and Nott did as well. Sebastian, Slink and Severus instinctively pulled their wands, Sam however did not.

"Look how Yalarad is afraid to draw his wand, he trembles in fear of Superior Wizards." Mulciber bragged.

"The day I tremble to the likes of you Mulciber is the day I lose myself to fear." Sam crossed his arms behind him. "I'm giving you one chance to go off and be on your way."

Mulciber growled and pressed his wand to Sam' throat. "Now how do you figure that? It's four on four!"

Sam shook his head. "It's seven on four."

Mulciber laughed. "Are you dumb? Can you not count?!"

"Can you?" Sam asked as he motioned to his left. "Ashdown and Clearwater, to my left." Wilkes and Nott turned to see Michael Ashdown and Nathaniel Clearwater aiming their wands at them. "And my boy Xenophilius behind you lot." Sam told Mulciber, and Avery turned around and saw Xenophilius aiming his wand dangerously at Avery.

"Now, I will ask you once more...leave." Sam ordered Mulciber and his goons.

Mulciber glared at Sam, but lowered his wand, and Avery, Nott, and Wilkes lowered their wands. Sam waved his hand and 'The United' lowered their wands.

"Let me tell you something Yalarad, you won't always have your friends here to be your bodyguards!" Mulciber sneered at Sam.

"Firstly, these are not my bodyguards, they are my friends, and two when that day comes when you think you've got me cornered...I'll be sure to give you a running start." Sam grinned.

"If that day comes where The Dark Lord reigns supreme, I'll be there to see your family and family bend at the knee of my Lord!" Mulciber growled.

"...If." Sam threatened Mulciber.

Mulciber and his goons backed away. "Just you wait Yalarad, you and Snivellus over there!" Mulciber used the Marauder's name for Severus. "You're gonna get yours, and when..."

Michael got tired of hearing Mulciber's tiring jargon about blood superiority and decided to have a bit of fun.

Michael pulled out a deck of cards. "Hey Mulciber, here's a picture of me shagging your Mother."

Michael showed Mulciber a card, and Nott, Avery, and Wilkes began to point and laugh as they actually saw Ashdown giving it to Mucliber's mother while Mulciber with anger in his eyes began to pull out his wand.

"You're dead Ashdown!" Mulciber tried to hex Michael, but Nathan was quicker drawing his wand and pointing it right at Mulciber's junk.

Mulciber raised his hands. "Yalarad tell him to stop!"

"I don't speak for Nathan..." Sam sighed knowing he made a stupid joke on accident. Nathan looked over at Sam and gave him an exasperated look. "Yeah, sorry about that, anyway if Nathan wants to hex your balls off he is free to do so...so I suggest you run."

Mulciber and his goons backed up. "You'll get yours...you'll all get yours!" Mulciber, Avery, Wilkes, and Nott walked away to safety.

Nathan put his wand away. He signed something to Michael and he laughed. "Yeah Mulciber looked like a scaled dog when you threatened to blow his balls to Kingdom come! Thanks for having my back Nate!" Michael patted his friend on the back.

"Why is it always you who has to kick the hornet's nest?" Sam asked Michael.

"Hey, somebody's got to do it? Why not a Gryffindor?" Michael joked.

"That should be your new house slogan." Severus smirked.

The group of friends stood there. "So...now what?" Slink asked.

"Junk Shop?" Sam asked. "Oh God." Severus groaned knowing what would happen.

"JUNK SHOP!" The boys cheered as they all went to the Junk Shop.

* * *

><p>After a couple hours in The Junk Shop they decided to end the day in Fortescue's getting some ice cream.<p>

As they all entered the establishment Severus was talking with Xenophilius of all people. "It's a broken wand handle Xenophilius. What on Earth are you possibly going to do with it?"

"What can't I do with this Severus?" Xeno's eyes were wide, a number of ideas flowed into his head.

"Well, you can't practice magic with it." Severus quipped back.

"Your eyes can't see the possibilities that can present itself." Xeno looked at Severus closely.

Severus backed up it was apparent to all but Xeno that he was uncomfortable. "May I ask what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm looking at your head, you might have a small wrackspurt problem." Xeno attempted to get closer, but fortunately Slink intervened. "Hey Xeno how about we got get you some Ice Cream?"

"Do they have licorice flavor?" Xeno asked. "I'm sure they do!" Slink pulled Xeno away from Severus who gave Slink a look of thanks.

Sam had two cones, one strawberry, and one chocolate. "Yeah sorry about Xeno, he's a bit...eccentric."

"Eccentric? Sybil Trelawney is eccentric, Xenophilius is..." Severus decided to choose his words carefully. "Odd." He finished.

"That he is, but I wouldn't change that for anything." Sam gave Severus his chocolate cone. "He was the first friend I've made and ever since then we've been together."

"When did you meet him?" Severus asked Sam. "Back in my primary school days over at The Alice Radenbacher School for Wizardry. I had just lost my mother, and he was the only who treated me with indifference."

Severus looked at Sam to explain, and they both sat down. "It...wasn't the fact that she was gone that bothered me. I knew all about death at that age, because of my Godfather teaching me about it, but it was the fact that everyone around me kept reminding me that she was gone that got to me. Not Xeno though."

Severus and Sam looked at Xeno getting a triple scoop of licorice, pistachio, and cherry ice cream. "He said his condolences once and then went on his merry way. He didn't have to remind me that my Mum was dead, he knew, I knew, and that was it. We became friends after I had stepped in to defend him from a couple of bullies who were harassing her, and ever since then we were close friends. He was there to help me up, and I was there to make sure he didn't get his ass whupped."

Severus looked at Xeno as he walked over to Sam and Severus. He took a seat right next to Sam.

"Hey Xeno, what did you get?" Sam asked his friend. "Cherry Pistachio Licorice stacked upon one another!" Xeno licked the side of his ice cream.

"And why did you choose such a bizarre selection?" Severus asked Xeno. "It's simple, the cherry helps me see Nargles, the pistachio helps me hear Hrognaunts, and the licorice, because it's my favorite." Xeno explained as he ate his ice cream.

They all sat at two tables, Xeno, Sam and Severus in one, and Michael, Nathan, Sebastian, and Slink at another.

Michael sat right behind Severus, and was tapped on the shoulder and turned around to see Severus.

"Can I ask you something?" Severus asked Michael.

"I don't know, can you?" Michael cheekily grinned.

"May I ask you a question?" Severus asked him. "Shoot!" Michael smirked.

"That card you showed Mulciber, you said it was a picture of you...shagging his mother, was it really? I mean it must have been to get him that mad."

Michael laughed and pulled out a deck of cards. "These are a very special type of cards that I came up with!"

"What do you mean? They just look like a regular playing cards." Severus looked at them.

Michael pulled out a card. "Tell me what do you see."

Severus looked at the card Michael drew and saw the Three of Clubs. "Three of Clubs."

Michael put the card away. "Hey Severus, here's a picture of me and Nate standing in front of the Empire State building." He handed Severus a small photo and he saw Michael and Nathan smiling, standing in front of the building.

"When did you and Nathan go to New York?" Severus asked him. "We didn't, look at the back of the photo."

Severus looked confused and then turned the photo around and saw a back of a playing card, he turned it back around again and saw the earlier card, the Three of Clubs.

"How did you do that?" Severus was in awe of Michaels trick.

"It's the card! Every single card is charmed to show what ever you say is on the face of the card, if people see the back of the card, then the illusion is shattered. You won't believe how many girls I picked up with these babies!" Michael gave Severus his deck, he was about to protest. "Relax, that isn't the only deck I have, I have plenty more at home."

Severus nodded. "Thanks Michael."

The door opened and Severus looked up and grimaced. He saw The Marauders walk into Fortescue's.

James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter walked in laughing with one another, but they took one look inside and stopped in their tracks.

Sam looked up at them with a stoic indifference. Sirius looked back at him with a silent rage. James put a hand on Sirius' arm and they all went to a corner both that let them see everybody.

"It was such a nice day before they came along." Severus muttered. Sam looked at him. "You consider Mulciber threatening you to be a nice day?" Sam asked Severus. "Well, Mulciber has a reason for wanting me dead, Black, Potter, and Pettigrew never needed one." Severus finished his ice cream, "I'm gonna use the bathroom."

Severus went off to the bathroom, Sam kept an eye on Sirius, and thankfully he was looking at a menu. Sam leaned over to Xeno, "Go follow Severus, just make sure he isn't ambushed in the bathroom." Xeno nodded, took his ice cream and followed Severus into the bathroom.

James whispered something into Peter's ear and Peter gulped and waddled out of the seat and went over to where Sam was. Slink Sebastian, Michael and Nathan kept an eye out as Sam sat there finishing his cone. Sam took one look at Peter and he struggled to keep a look of distaste off of his face. "May I help you?" Sam asked the fat lackey.

"James wanted me to tell you that he wants to talk to you." Peter told Sam. "Is that right, and why didn't he come over here himself and tell me that?" Sam asked Peter.

"Ummm well he's looking at the menu, I mean..." Peter started. "It seems to me that he's just using you as a scapegoat to protect himself in case I was to hex or jinx him if he came over." Sam looked over to James who was looking at the menu, but Sam knew that James wan't interested in ice cream, what James was interested in was a conference with him. "Fortunately I am in a good mood, so go over and tell your master I'll talk with him over in the hallway leading to the bathrooms, alone, without our wands."

Peter gulped and waddled over to James and told him what Sam had told him. Sam got up and pulled his wand out and handed it to Slink, "You're insane you know." Sam watched as James Potter looked over at Sam. "He'll never agree to talking with you without his wand," Slink mentioned. They looked and saw James taking out his wand and giving it to Remus to hold at the behest and vocal disapproval of Sirius. "He will if he has the tiniest shred of Pride and Honor."

Sam walked over to the hall way with James Potter following him.

* * *

><p>Severus opened the bathroom door and jumped when he saw Xenophilius waiting for him. "Bwaaah! What are you doing?"<p>

"Waiting for you." Xenophilius smiled as he licked his ice cream again.

"I see that, but what I mean is...why?" Severus asked Xeno.

"Sam wanted to make sure that The Marauders didn't ambush you while you were in the loo." Xeno licked up the dripping ice cream on his cone.

Severus sighed. "Well...thank you Xenophilius."

"He really like you y'know." Xeno pointed out. "He wouldn't have made friends with you so quickly if he didn't really like you."

Severus couldn't help but give a small smile at that. "Thanks, now come on let's get back..."

Severus and Xeno heard people walk down the hallway and stopped right before the corner that lead to the bathrooms.

"Well you wanted to talk, so talk." It was Sam, and he appeared to be talking to someone.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot, that's all." Severus glared as he heard James Potter's voice, what the hell was he doing talking Sam? He turned back to Xeno who was just as confused as he was.

"The wrong foot? Hanging a fellow student by his legs with a spell that he made doesn't seem like the wrong foot, it seems like bullying!"

James put his hands up. "You've got it all wrong! It's just a simple prank, just boys being boys is all!"

"Boys being boys?" Sam rolled his eyes. "Three on One is just Boys being boys? Sounds like a load of Thestral Manure Potter, so why don't you tell me why you really wanted to talk to me."

James knew he wouldn't be able to trick Sam and sighed. "Fine, I just want to make things between us...copacetic."

"Wow, that's a big word. What'd you do read a thesaurus before you left the house this morning?" Sam taunted him.

James frowned. "I'm trying to be civil here." Sam laughed, "No, no this isn't you being civil, this is your Father telling you to be civil with me." James' eyes widened, and Sam knew his guess was right. "You told him that I was making your life a bit difficult, and expected him to make my life a bit difficult in return, but then he got a bit uppity at the mention of my name and commanded you to make nice with me!"

James growled. "Okay, okay Mr. Smart-Ass, then why don't you tell me why I called for this meeting."

Sam looked at James. "You want me to give up Severus, and Lily." Severus' breath hitched, and he froze in shock. Would Sam really give him up? "You want to bully Severus to your heart's content, and leave the door open for you to court Lily." Sam finished his guess.

"Yeah, that's what I want." James told Sam. "...And tell me James...why would I do that?" Sam asked him.

"Because if you do, you have my word that we'll leave you alone. You and you group of friends." James explained.

Severus' hands clenched as he heard what James was offering Sam, and Xeno put a hand on his shoulder. That didn't make Severus any more calmer, but it was a bit more comforting.

"Really, you...Pettigrew...Lupin...and...Black will leave us alone, yeah somehow I really don't believe that Black will go along with this, not after how I embarrassed him in front of the entire school." Sam said as he leaned against the wall.

"Trust me, Sirius will go along with it when I explain how he should just let it go." James tried to convince Sam.

Sam was a bit silent as he thought to himself and Xeno, James, and Severus were waiting for his reply.

"Well? What do you think?" James asked. Sam looked at him, "Oh I'm sorry I'm just trying to find a creative way to say no to you." Sam stroked his chin. "Let's see..."

Severus smirked, and turned back to Xeno who was finishing his ice cream seemingly not worried about this whole situation.

"What?" James growled. "Uhh no, nein, nada, not gonna happen, sorry but no, nope, no way Jose, I don't think so, no can do, absolutely not and now in slow motion, nooooooooooooooooooo..." At this point James took out his wand and pointed right at his neck. "Oooooohhh great you took your wand, and to think I gave you the benefit of the doubt."

"Now you listen here, Snivellus is nothing but a stinkin' Death Eater. I'm doing you a favor by taking him off of your hands to deal with him!" James growled. "Why are you protecting him?"

"Because he is my friend, and friends protect one another." Sam stated it like it was fact. "Now I suggest you take your wand away from my throat."

Severus drew his wand ready to spring into action if need be. Xeno put a hand on Severus' wand and lowered it. "Wait." He whispered to Severus.

"Or what?" James glared at Sam, and felt something hit his nether-regions and saw that Sam was pointing a wand to his 'snitches.' "You fink, you told Peter no wands!"

"I meant it, but as I was leaving, my friend Slink put his wand down my pants just in case, so technically I abided by the rules by not bringing my wand." Sam jabbed Slink's wand into James' waist. "Now take your wand away from neck Potter!"

James slowly took his wand and pocketed it. Sam did the same, "Now you listen to me, Severus Snape and Lily Evans are under my protection, any more further aggression towards Severus Snape, and any more unwanted advances on Lily Evans will be taken as an attack on me, and I will make sure that you pay for it in droves!" Sam threatened James. Severus couldn't help but smile at Sam's words.

James stood there and glared at Sam. "Another thing, this whole tough guy act with you and The Marauders, going around running roughshod over everyone who looks at you wrong, it ends today! No more, do you hear me Potter?" James didn't answer. "You have ears don't you? I said do you hear me?!" Sam growled.

James snarled at Sam. "You're going to pay for this Yally Boy." He left the hallway and walked out of Fortescues' with Peter, Sirius, and Remus following him out.

Sam calmed down before he went back out to his seat, and he gave Slink his wand back while taking his wand and pocketing it. He sat down and put his head on the table, the last thing he wanted was to create even more tension between The United and The Marauders, before they went back to school Sam had to arrange a meeting to warn everyone about Potter and his gang.

A mug of butterbeer in front of his face distracted him from those thoughts, he looked up and saw Severus with a mug of his own. "What's this for?" Sam asked Severus. "For being my friend." Severus smiled, and Sam got up off the table and took the mug and clinked it with Severus's mug, no words were needed between the two.

* * *

><p>Pretty soon it was time to leave, everyone said their goodbyes and walked off in their own directions.<p>

Sam and Severus walked back to The Leaky Cauldron, they saw a store owner closing shop and locking the door before leaving.

Sam stopped in his tracks and Severus looked at him. "Sam what is it?" Sam saw the store owner walk away and walked to the locked door. Severus looked around and followed Sam. "Sam what are you doing?" Severus asked him.

"I just want to test something." Sam knelt at the door and and was eye-level with the lock. '_Open Sesame_.'

The Locked door was suddenly unlocked as Sam and Severus' eyes widened. Sam got up, closed the door, and magically locked the door. "What just happened?" Severus asked Sam.

"I believe we just stumbled upon something we shouldn't have or something that's going to happen."

* * *

><p>Read and Review if you liked it, and don't forget to follow and favorite.<p>

* * *

><p>Alice looked at Lily, "So do you like him?"<p>

Lily looked back up at Alice. "Like who?"

"Severus of course!" Jessica answered.


	9. Girls Day Out

I do not own Harry Potter or its properties.

* * *

><p>Jessica and Lily were walking back towards Trafalgar Square past Duncannon St. with bags of merchandise after their little adventure.<p>

"I swear as soon as I become of age, I am charming all of my shopping bags to become lighter than a feather." Jessica groaned as she carried her bags filled with clothes.

Lily giggled and was about to respond when she heard tires squeal and saw Webster turn the corner and saw Sam and Severus pull up in a hurry.

"Sam? Jeez you looked like you were a bat out of Hell!" Jessica exclaimed.

"And he drove like one too!" Severus complained.

Lily giggled. "Can you open the boot for us Sam?"

Sam looked to be in a heavy train of thought. Lily looked at him, "Sam?"

Sam shook his head and looked at Lily. "Sorry Lily, what were you asking?"

"Can you open the boot please?" Lily asked Sam once more.

"Oh sure." He opened the boot and got out of the car and helped the girls with their purchases.

"You looked to be deep in thought, what were you thinking about?" Lily asked Sam.

"That I owe an apology to someone." Sam put all the bags in the boot and closed the trunk and pulled back his seat so that Jessica and Lily could get in.

Once Sam was back in the driver's seat he took off just after Jessica and Lily got buckled in.

"Wow, Sam what the hell?" Jessica chastised Sam, but he was in deep thought. Jessica turned to Severus. "Severus what happened in Diagon Alley that made Sam like this?"

"To summarize we found out that you can open the stone wall that separates Diagon Alley with The Leaky Cauldron with the phrase 'Open Sesame' and at first it was cool, but then Sam got the bright idea to try the phrase on a locked door to a store and it opened and ever since he's been a state of constant distress." Severus explained.

Lily looked at Severus. "Really?" She then turned to Sam. "Why are you so worried?"

Sam kept his eyes on the road. "Lily I believe Severus and I have discovered something that was never meant to be discovered."

"And what is this 'something' Sam?" Jessica asked Sam.

Sam began to explain, "Imagine you had a key that could open any door in Diagon Alley, now imagine this key in the wrong hands."

Everyone got a bit understanding. "I don't understand, if there was a phrase that could open any door in Diagon Alley what is the problem?" Lily asked.

Sam looked in the rearview window. "Lily, those doors in Diagon Alley are always magically locked. No spell, including 'Alohamora' should be able to open them! The thought that there is a phrase that could open any door in Diagon Alley is what has me worried!"

Now everyone understood why Sam was so worried. Severus turned back to Lily, "Now that we got the whole conspiracy theory out of the way, how was your day Lily?"

"We had a great day Severus, it was quite the little adventure we had." Lily smiled as she began to recant her story.

* * *

><p>Lily, Jessica, and Alice began to walk through Muggle London. "Wow, I've never been out in Muggle London without my parents before!"<p>

"Really?" Jessica asked Alice. "Well, when you were with your parents where would you go?"

"Oh you know the usual, Muggle Parliament, Big Ben, The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, and The National Gallery." Alice listed off the sights see had seen.

"Hopefully, the places Lily and I show you will be a lot more pleasing to you!" Jessica smiled.

The trio of girls first went to a little cafe in walking distance from where they were.

They ordered some breakfast and tea and sat down at a table outside. Lily sat in between Alice and Jessica as they sipped on their tea and nibbled at their breakfast.

"So how did you manage to freeze those dumb-arses Potter, Black, and Pettigrew?" Alice asked Lily.

"Yes, I wanted to know that myself." Jessica admitted.

"Well, from what Sam told me those three cornered Sam up on the 7th floor with the intent to hex him, and Sam had dealt with him by using an original charm of his to freeze them. From there the three of us had decided to give them a little makeover." Lily grinned as she remembered how fast The Marauders ran up the staircase back to Gryffindor Tower.

"Speaking of which!" Alice went into her pockets and pulled out a folded photo and unfolded it to show James, Peter, and Sirius dressed in Slytherin Green Dresses all dolled up like they were Southern Belles awaiting their escort for a ball. All three girls openly laughed at the photo.

"Look how stupid they look!" Jessica guffawed.

"Is it me or does Sirius look more like a girl than he normally does?" Alice asked Lily.

"He does, but man I remember how hard it was to get Pettigrew into that dress, in retrospect I should have used a fitting charm to make it easier to get it on him!" Lily wiped the tears from her eyes.

The three calmed down and returned to their breakfast. Alice looked at Lily, "So, do you like him?"

Lily looked back up at Alice. "Like who?"

"Severus of course!" Jessica answered.

Lily blushed at what her friends were asking her. "Severus? Oh my, well he does have his admirable qualities."

"You have to admit that he's very mature for his age." Alice pointed out.

Jessica nodded. "He's well mannered and very attractive as well."

Lily looked down as she sipped her tea. "I haven't even thought of it, but...I must say..."

"Yeesssss?" Jessica asked.

"I'm not opposed to the idea!" Lily smiled as she looked at Alice. "What? What is it?" Alice asked.

"What about you Alice? I see you have been getting really comfortable with Frank Longbottom." Lily teased Alice.

Alice smiled. "I'll admit it, we've been seeing each other. Nothing too serious mind you, but we have only begun to date exclusively in the past few months," Alice sighed contently. "You spend your entire life looking for that special someone, and let me tell you girls. I can't believe that I found him so fast."

Lily turned to Jessica. "What about you Jessica, have you got an eye on a special somebody?"

Jessica nodded, "As a matter of fact I do, I have my eye on the biggest fish in the ocean."

"Who might that be?" Alice asked her.

"Well, I'll give you a hint, he's in Hufflepuff." Jessica smirked.

Alice and Lily had to think for a second. "Is it Slink?" Lily asked.

Jessica laughed out loud and snorted before putting her hand in front of her hand. "No. That's no, not going to happen. Slink is already in a relationship with someone."

"Really? Who is she, is she someone we know?" Alice asked Jessica.

Jessica couldn't help busting out in laughter again. "Oh it's someone you know, believe me." She calmed down and straightened up. "It's not my place to tell you two whom it is, but I'm sure when the time is right he'll come out and tell you."

"Then who is it that you have your eye on?" Alice inquired.

"I'm interested in Sam."Jessica said, her smiled quickly turned to a frown. "He on the other-hand is not interested in me."

"And why not? Sam would be lucky to have a girl like you." Lily asserted.

"Well, would one of you tell that Dunderhead that there's a very good girl waiting for him and he should settle for me...instead of chasing after that bitch Bellatrix Black."

"Sam is attracted to Bellatrix Black? Bellatrix who put Barty Crouch Jr. in the Medical Wing for accidentally spilling tea on her lap. That Bellatrix?" Alice was shocked.

"Yes! And I have no clue as to why he's so damn attracted to her." Jessica groaned.

"Well, Bellatrix is very beautiful, I have to admit it." Lily admitted. "She's like a rose, with very large thorns."

Jessica finished her food and tea and slumped in her chair.

"Oh stop moping, I'm sure he'll get over her. I mean Bellatrix is betrothed to Rodolphus LeStrange, blegh just saying his name gives me a bad taste in my mouth." Alice grimaced. "I mean he's bound to get over her, and then notice you." Alice shot up out of her chair. _"Oh Jessica, how blind was I? To not have noticed a maiden as fair as you who stood beside me all those times_!" Alice playacted as Sam, Lily giggled like mad and it wasn't too long before Jessica joined them.

"I'm not too sure he'll do something like that, but it's a good thought." Jessica cheered up.

* * *

><p>A while after their breakfast they did some shopping in the muggle shops of London. They exited their last store and each girl had at least three bags of clothes with them. "I should have brought Frank, and he could have carried all of this."<p>

"Perhaps next time I'll have a few of the boys help us with the bags." Jessica thought out loud.

"You think they'd take time out of their summer break to carry around our bags?" Lily asked Jessica.

"Sam is going to be the first to volunteer because that's the kind of person he is, he's the first one to help with something even if it inconveniences himself. Severus would probably do it if you were there Lily." Jessica smirked as Lily blushed a bit. "Tom is a bit too busy this Summer cause he has an Internship over with Obscura Books, Slink always finds a way to weasel out of doing anything of the sort, the last time I even mentioned going out to the shops he was halfway out with the door."

"What about the others?" Alice asked Jessica. The three sat on a bench and rested their arms.

"Well, there is Sebastian, he's always there whenever I need help with something especially for me, he's a true friend. Michael would only help if we were going to a place where there would be a number of ladies to talk to. Nathan would help, because I've never heard him say no." Jessica joked. "Macbeth may look a bit tough, but he's a big teddy bear who can't say no. Riley and Maxwell, or 'The Twins' as I call them always seem to disappear at the first mention of the word 'shop.'"

Alice looked at their surroundings. "Hey guys we wouldn't be near Chinatown?"

Lily looked around. "Ummm let me think. Yes, I do think its down a few blocks that way." She pointed towards the direction of Chinatown.

Alice brightened up, got her bags and got up. "Alright you two follow me. I'm going to show you something that will blow your mind."

"Oh come on, my feet are killing me and these bags are heavy!" Jessica groaned.

"That's because you bought what seemed to be five pounds of clothing." Lily pointed out as she got up with her bags as well.

"Errgh!" Jessica got up with her bags. "Fine, let's see what's so important in Chinatown."

Alice led Lily and a grumpy Jessica to Chinatown, and the street was packed with people going about their business. Alice led Lily and Jessica past the crowd to a narrow brick alleyway with a wooden gateway with Chinese Inscriptions over it.

"I wonder what it means." Lily wondered. "Well, let's go in and you'll see for yourself!" Alice smiled as she led her two friends into the alleyway.

"Where are we heading?" Jessica asked as the alleyway seemed to get a tad bit narrower.

"You'll see!" Alice smiled. The three girls went up to a dead end, "Oh a dead end, a marvelous sight Alice." Jessica sarcastically applauded Alice.

Alice took out her wand and poked the wall in a specific order, and the wall opened up like Diagon Alley would, and there Lily and Jessica saw a whole new area.

"Ladies welcome to Jin Huan or in english, 'The Golden Circle."' Alice walked in and Lily and Jessica followed her in as the wall closed behind them.

The area was shaped of that of a circle, the ground was a luminescent golden color that shone when the sun hit it. There were vendors and stalls that littered the circle with several different vendors trying to sell their wares to potential customers. Lily looked at the stalls and saw that each one sold something different for particular needs and interests. Some vendors sold what appeared to be costume jewelry, others sold bugs and other insects as snacks, some sold reptiles that were in a jar of alcohol of some sort, and some sold potion ingredients that were not easily attained by regular means.

"Hello little girl!" Lily snapped out of it and saw that she was separated from her friends and was standing in front of a stall with a small Chinese woman at the counter. "Oh hello there."

"Care to browse Ai-Chen's wares and selections?" The Elderly woman asked Lily.

"I'll be happy to take a look." Lily decided to browse at the woman's selections. Her eyes glimpsed at her goods. Lily saw several necklaces some were gold, others silver, other's had emeralds, sapphires, or rubies ornately placed on them. However, there was one that attracted Lily's attention. It was a simple golden pendant attached to golden chain, and on the pendant was Chinese inscribed on it.

"Pardon me, but what does this say?" Lily pointed to the pendant.

"Oh yes, this is a very special pendant, this will protect you from all means of Dark Magic, well except for the killing curse, but what can?" Ai-Chen smiled. "It will look good on you, currently everything on my table is for sale."

"How much is this pendant?" Lily asked Ai-Chen. The Old Woman looked at the pendant in particular. "Oh yes that one will be..." Ai-Chen thought for a minute. "Well, just for you how much do you have in your pocket?"

Lily blinked ain surprise and then rummaged through her pockets, she had brought what wizarding money she had left over the school year with her. "I have...2 Galleons, 14 Knuts, and 5 Sickles..."

"Oh that's plenty." Ai-Chen smiled. "R-Really?" Lily was surprised, but she turned over her money and received the golden pendant in exchange.

"It's beautiful." Lily marveled at the beauty of the pendant and put in on around her neck.

"Lily?" She then heard Jessica calling out for her.

She turned around, "Oh that's my friends perhaps they'd like to come over and look at your..." Lily turned around and saw that Ai-Chen and her stall was gone. Lily was flabbergasted as she could have sworn Ai-Chen was here a minute ago.

Jessica and Alice made their way through the crowd and rejoined Lily. "There you are, where were you? You had Alice and I very worried!"

"I was just buying something from this old lady at a stall." Lily explained. "I turned my head for one second and then she was gone."

"Well what did you buy?" Alice asked Lily, and she showed Alice and Jessica showed her the pendant.

"And how much did you pay for this little...trinket." Jessica asked as she looked at the pendant.

"2 Galleons, 14 Knuts, and 5 Sickles." Lily counted in her head.

"Well, that wasn't too bad of a deal for a pendant like that, but it seems kind of suspicious that the old lady would disappear like that." Jessica thought.

"Well let's not put any more thought into that. Come on I want to show you guys the reason I brought you here!"

Alice led Lily and Jessica back through the crowd as Ai-Chen looked upon Lily following her friends through the crowd.

* * *

><p>She brought Lily and Jessica to a restaurant or what seemed to be a restaurant. "What is it?" Jessica asked Alice.<p>

"It's a Teahouse. Like the ones you find in China and Japan." Alice smiled.

"What's it called?" Lily asked as she looked at the teahouse. She noticed the teahouse was colored in a jade colored green.

'It's called 'The Emerald Dragon' everytime my parents take me to Jin Huan we always come here to drink some tea." Alice explained, "Let's go in shall we?"

Alice led her friends into to teahouse, and they were quickly seated in a booth.

"Jessica, let me see your back of Knuts." Alice said. Jessica gave her the bag and then Alice took out a couple of Knuts, and when the server came around Alice gave him the Knuts, "One Teapot of your finest Green Tea." The server bowed and went away without a word.

"Do we get biscuits or something with our tea?" Jessica asked, "Because let me tell you I am starving!"

"Unfortunately no, we just get served tea." Alice told Jessica.

"Just Tea? Only Tea?" Jessica huffed.

"If you want Jessica I'm sure the vendors out there are willing to sell you some nice crickets to munch on." Lily teased Jessica.

Jessica turned green. "On second thought I lost my appetite."

The server came back with three cups and a teapot, and served Alice, Lily, and Jessica some tea.

Alice took her cup and sipped it. "It's perfect thank you." The Server bowed and went back to his duties.

"Well girls take a sip!" Alice grinned and went back to her tea.

Jessica and Lily looked at their tea, picked up their teacups and sipped their tea, and once the tea passed their lips they were brought to a level of relaxation that was only possible in dreams.

"Oh dear Merlin!" Jessica felt any sort of ache in her feet immediately vanish.

"I want the recipe!" Lily lazily smiled as she took another sip of her tea. "It's like...drinking silk...silk that relaxes every single muscle."

Alice grinned. "Are you glad that I brought you here?" Both Lily and Jessica nodded as they continued to sip their tea.

Alice grinned as she sipped her tea and looked around only to nearly spit it up as she saw something she couldn't believe. "Oh my God!"

Lily and Jessica looked at Alice. "What, what's got you so riled up?" Jessica asked her.

Alice pointed to a couple in the corner of the teahouse. "It's just a couple just snogging...rather intensely." Lily pointed out.

"No, I mean look at who they are!" Alice directed. Lily and Jessica took another look and their eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"Oh my God is that Ted Tonks with Andromeda Black?!" Lily asked as she kept her words from getting too loud.

"Yes, I do believe so!" Alice looked down at her teacup trying not to make eye contact with the couple.

Jessica had to keep herself from laughing uncontrollably. "Who would think that a Member of the 'Ancient and Noble House of Black' would be snogging with a Muggleborn in a Teahouse in Jin Huan?"

"Actually Andromeda isn't that much into her family beliefs as much as you would think." Alice informed her friends. "She's one of the more mellower of The Blacks, the other two being Sirius and Regulus...I mean when his parents aren't around that is."

"Is she in Slytherin with her sisters?" Lily asked Alice.

"No, she's in Ravenclaw along with Regulus." Alice told her.

"Man they are just tearing into each other, you'd think if they weren't in public they'd be shagging each other!" Jessica smirked.

"Jessica!" Lily blushed.

"Come on, you don't even have to ask that of course they would!" Alice grinned.

The three girls were at a loss on how to continue. "Okay, now what?" Lily asked.

"Well, the way I see it we could do one of two options. One, we could keep drinking our tea and hope they don't notice us." Jessica began to explain her plans.

"And two?" Alice asked before she sipped her tea.

"Two, we would sneak out and hope they don't see us...after we hastily finish our tea."

"I like Two." Alice said. "Yes, two is definitely the one I agree with." Lily added.

The three finished their tea and made their way out of The Emerald Dragon without Andromeda or Ted seeing them.

"Other than happening upon the star-crossed lovers I think our trip to Jin Huan was a success." Alice smiled.

"Oh definitely, we need to come back another time and visit a few of the other shops down here." Lily smiled.

They walked back into the crowd and headed towards the entrance. "Yeah I have to say this was...SHIT!" Jessica swore.

Lily covered her mouth, and Alice scoffed. "Well, fine I'll never bring you back down here again!"

"No look!" Jessica pointed through the crowd. Lily and Alice looked through and saw what Jessica was talking about.

There at the entrance stood two witches, both related, both stunningly beautiful, one with sunshine blond hair, the other had midnight black hair, it was Narcissa and Bellatrix Black.

"Oh Fuck, that's not good!" Alice ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm guessing they aren't here for the jewelry." Lily gulped.

"I'm guessing they're here looking for Andromeda." Jessica pointed out.

Alice, Lily, and Jessica hid behind a stall. "If they find Andromeda in The Green Dragon with Ted, who knows what will happen." Lily thought out loud.

"Oh I can tell you Lily, it'll be World War Three, Four and Five!" Jessica exclaimed.

"We need to act!" Alice was thinking.

"Act, what can we do?" Jessica asked Alice.

"I'm thinking! I'm thinking!"

"Wait, Alice you're pureblood right?" Lily said, "You go talk to them and distract them while Jessica and I go in and warn the lovely couple."

"Lily, I may be a Pureblood, but I'm not exactly 'their' kind of Pureblood, they might acknowledge me for three seconds before heading on their way." Alice shot a hole through her plan.

Alice was thinking, she saw a few children begging in the streets and came up with a plan. "I got it! Jessica give me that bag of Knuts!"

Jessica put two and two together and groaned. "Fine." She gave Alice the bag. '_Wingardium Leviosa_' Alice had the bag quickly levitate up and over the Black Sister's path right in front of the beggar children. '_Diffindo_'

The bag cut and all the Knuts came falling down on Bellatrix's and Narcissa's head.

"What the bloody hell?!" Bellatrix swore as she and Narcissa shielded their heads.

"Knuts? Why the hell are knuts..." Narcissa didn't get to finish her sentence as she and Bellatrix were interrupted by several beggar children who were picking up the Knuts and were asking Bellatrix and Narcissa for any alms.

"Oh dear heavens, back! I have nothing for you!" Narcissa shooed away the beggars.

"Get away you brats, there's nothing for you! Now git!" Bellatrix yelled.

"Okay go, I'll run interference!" Alice told them. Lily, and Jessica left their bags with Alice and then ran over to The Green Dragon. They saw that Andromeda and Ted were still going at it.

"Oh my God, don't they breath?" Jessica asked herself. Lily ran over to the two with Jessica following her.

"Hi there, hey listen you two really need to break it up!" Lily got between and separated Andromeda and Ted.

"What the hell?" Ted asked out loud.

"Who do...Jessica? What are you and your friend doing here?" Andromeda asked as she froze in place.

"No time, your sisters are here looking for you!" Lily exclaimed.

Andromeda shot up out of her seat. "Damn, I thought that I lost them in Diagon Alley this morning!"

"Andie, this could be it. We could finally tell them about us." Ted sighed, "Why must we always meet in secret, to hell with the running around behind your family's back."

"Ted trust me if my family finds out we're together I fear what will happen to the both of us." Andromeda panicked, she kissed Ted deeply once more. "I love you, I'll owl you later."

As Andromeda began to walk away, Lily saw through a window that Bellatrix and Narcissa were walking to The Emerald Dragon. "Too late!" She ran over to Andromeda and pulled her back into the booth behind Ted's.

Jessica looked around and then got into Ted's booth, she saw in a reflection of a decorative mirror that Narcissa and Bellatrix were making their way over and looked at Ted. "Okay, close your eyes and pretend I'm Andromeda!"

"Close my eyes and do wha..." Ted was interrupted as Jessica locked lips with him and began to deeply kiss him.

Bellatrix and Narcissa walked up to Lily and Andromeda. Bellatrix looked over and saw Jessica and Ted making out in the corner and scoofed before she turned her attention to her sister. "Andie." Bellatrix looked at her sister and then glanced at Lily. "What are you and Evans doing here?"

"Well, Lily and I..." Andromeda started. "We were going over the Extra Credit that Professor Flitwick assigned to us over the Summer. The Essay about The Patronus Charm and the origins of it." Lily finished with an impressive improvisation.

"Oh, well it figures that you'd spend most of the Summer doing busy work Andie." Bella jokingly chided her sister.

"What are you two doing here?" Andromeda asked her sisters.

"Mother wants us home so that we can finish the plans of the Summer Gala over at Malfoy Manor." Narcissa explained.

"Alright well," Andromeda got up and Lily did so as well. "I'll...be seeing you Lily, and thank you...thank you." She hugged Lily tightly as Lily returned Andromeda's hug.

Andromeda broke it off and turned to see Jessica and Ted making out in their booth. Her murderous intent filled the entire room as she glared at Jessica, and then stormed out with Narcissa and Bellatrix walking to keep up with her.

Jessica and Ted broke off the kiss. "What the Hell was that for!?" Ted exclaimed.

"So that, if they saw you there they'd see that you weren't there with Andromeda." Jessica explained.

Ted went to the window to see Andromeda and her sisters leave Jin Huan.

"This fucking sucks." Ted growled. "I mean...it's like she's embarrassed or ashamed to be with me."

Lily put a hand on his shoulder. "Oh come now Ted, I'm sure it's not like that."

Ted was holding back tears. "How do you know?"

"Because she looked deep into your eyes and said I Love You, and damn it if you can't believe in love in this day and age, what can you believe in?" She exclaimed.

"Besides, Andie comes from a very ancient family of Purebloods, who usually only marry their children to other Purebloods. I think only a few members of The Black family have ever left their family to marry Muggles or Muggleborn."

"And what happened to them?" Ted asked Jessica.

"...They were disowned, and excommunicated from the family." Jessica answered. "Maybe she's trying to figure out a way to keep her family and keep you."

Ted sighed and nodded, "Yeah that would make sense, that's Andie always trying to make everybody happy." He turned around to face Lily and Jessica. "I can't thank you enough for what you did, and if Andie was here she'd be saying the same."

'It was no problem at all Ted, I'll see you when school starts okay?" Jessica grinned as she and Lily walked out of The Green Dragon.

"Take care." Ted waved as Lily and Jessica regrouped with Alice.

Alice was with their bags. "So, I didn't hear any curses being cast so I'm guessing that Bellatrix and Narcissa didn't see Andromeda and Ted snogging in the corner booth."

"Yeah we managed to avoid that situation, all thanks going to Jessica for giving one for the team." Lily smirked.

Jessica faintly blushed, "It...was nothing."

Alice grinned, "I bet it wasn't." The girls got their bags and headed back through the entrance to Jin Huan and then went their separate ways.

* * *

><p>Lily left out the part of Jessica having her heart set on being with Sam, and her being okay with the idea of dating Severus for obvious reasons.<p>

"It seemed like you, Jessica and Alice had a very eventful day." Severus smiled as he looked back at Lily.

"It was very fun, you should have been there." Lily smiled.

Severus lightly blushed, "Maybe...you and I can go to The Emerald Dragon sometime."

Lily blushed as well. "I would like that Severus."

Severus got back in his seat and Sam winked at him. Lily turned to Jessica and saw that she gave her a thumbs-up.

Sam started to slow down as he approached Jessica's home. He got out o let Jessica out and opened to boot to retrieve her clothes for her.

Jessica thanked Sam, "Thanks for everything Sam."

Sam rubbed the back of his head, "It was nothing Jessica, I'm always there for you!"

'_Yes, but not in the way I want you to be_.' Jessica thought. She then kissed Sam's cheek and then got her bags. "Thanks."

Sam smiled and then got back in his car and ten drove off.

As Jessica watched Sam, Severus and Lily drove off she made a silent vow, that no matter what she would make Sam hers.

* * *

><p>Hey, thanks for reading. If you liked this chapter go ahead and favorite and follow this story, and leave a review for me if you would.<p>

* * *

><p>A sneak peek of the upcoming chapter.<p>

Severus was looking over every single piece of parchment that Sam had written on and organized all over his floor and saw that each piece had only one thing in common...They all had the name '_Gabriel_' written and circled on them. Once Sam was awake Severus would ask him who this Gabriel was.


	10. Gabriel

I do not own Harry Potter or any subsidiaries

* * *

><p>AN: I just want to give a Gargantuan Shout to my Friend _**Alethea27**_, a fellow Author on who has helped me mold the future of the series from a jumbled pile of words to what I think is shaping out to be a great story.

So, it would mean a lot if you went and checked out her stories on her page. She writes exclusively Sev/Lily Fanfics so it's not too far from what I'm writing. Anyways I wouldn't be here at this point if it wasn't for her. Alethea if you are reading this, Thank You.

* * *

><p>Sam remained quiet as he drove Severus and Lily back home, it was relatively quick drive and they began to drive up to Lily's house at 7:12.<p>

Sam popped out and opened the boot as Severus helped Lily out. "Such a gentleman."

Severus blushed a bit, "Erm. Thanks Lily."

Sam got her bags out of the boot but looked up as he began to hear yelling from inside of Lily's house. He closed the boot and looked towards her house, "And who might that be?"

Lily looked back at the house and groaned, "Oh great, now I have her to deal with."

"Is that your sister?" Sam asked.

Lily looked at Severus, "I'm guessing you told him."

"He would have had the 'pleasure' of meeting her some time or another," Severus explained.

Lily sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "She seems to be in one of her moods, the way that she is yelling with my parents it must be about that pig Vernon Dursley."

Sam turned to Lily. "I'm guessing Vernon was the reason she was yelling at you this morning?"

Lily shook her head. "Nowadays its always what she and my parents argue about." Lily looked at the front door of her house, "I might as well face the screeching discordant music that is my sister."

Severus took the bags from Sam. "I'll come with, no reason you have to face her yourself."

"You want to come Sam?" Lily asked him sarcastically.

"Not particularly." Sam replied in a deadpan manner. "You two kids go and face that dragon yourselves."

"Oh thanks a lot." Severus rolled his eyes.

Severus took Lily's bags and followed Lily towards her house, as they got closer the words of the argument became clearer and clearer.

"...For the last time Petunia, you will not spend the night alone with that boy, and that's final." Hal Evans dictated to his eldest daughter.

"Dad that's so unfair! Vernon isn't a pervert, he won't do anything like that! He's a gentlemen!" Petunia shot back.

"A Gentlemen, that walrus of a man?" Hal asked. "They way he ate the last time he was here, he acted like a pig!"

"Mum cooked her World Famous Sunday Roast! You'd be mad to try and keep yourself from gorging yourself!" Petunia tried to cover for Vernon.

"Nice try Petunia." Rose rolled her eyes, "But your Father and I are concerned that Vernon and you are taking things rather too quickly."

"But, we love each other!" Petunia yelled.

Severus and Lily looked at each other, took a deep breath, and entered the house.

They walked in to see Hal and Rose Evans looking at Petunia who was leaning against a wall, and the three turned to see Severus and Lily.

"Oh Lily, Severus how was your outing today?" Rose asked, trying to de-escalate the situation.

"Oh look it's the Freaks." Petunia sneered at Severus and Lily.

"Petunia Evans you do not call your sister or Severus that!" Rose told her daughter.

"Why, they are freaks of nature, ashamed of who they are so much they have to go to some freak school in Scotland!" Petunia shot at Lily and Severus.

Lily was a bit hurt at that statement and Severus bit his tongue to resist throwing back something insulting to Petunia.

Petunia was about to say something more but then turned her attention to the door opening, and there she saw a very attractive boy.

Everyone looked at Sam who walked in. "Hello all." Sam saw Petunia who was blushing a bit as she looked at Sam, and it was there he decided to turn on the charm. "Hello, you must be Petunia."

"I...um...I...yes I'm Petunia." She stumbled on her words a bit.

Sam smiled, reached out took her hand and kissed it. "The pleasure is all mine, and may I say you look marvelous."

Petunia's face became red as a tomato, "Oh my, and who might you be?"

"My name is Samual Yon Yalarad my dear, I'm friends with your sister and Severus." Sam answered and smiled.

Petunia looked at Sam after he admitted to being a Wizard.

"Is that a problem Petunia?" Sam asked her.

"That...isn't a problem Sam, oh may I call you Sam?" Petunia asked Sam.

"Of course, that is no problem at all. So, who's this Vernon I hear so much about?"

"Who's Vernon?" Petunia asked aloud as Hal, Rose, Lily and Severus had their mouths agape as Petunia asked that.

"Your boyfriend?" Sam looked at Petunia.

"Oh! Oh...well Vernon and I are taking a break actually." Petunia said.

"Oh really?" Hal asked as he crossed his arms with a smirk.

Petunia looked at her father. "Yes really."

"Since when?" Rose added as she stood next to her husband with a smirk of her own.

"Since a while ago! You two just don't listen." Petunia covered her tracks.

Sam looked at Severus. "Your mother is expecting us Severus, we'd better get going."

Severus nodded. "Okay, well I'll be seeing you later Lily." Severus bid farewell to Lily.

Lily smiled as she gave Severus a big hug. "Thanks Severus, I'll see you later." She kissed him on the cheek.

Severus erupted in a deep red blush as Sam pulled him out of the house. "Okay see you guys later."

The two boys walked out of the house and Petunia went to the nearest window to watch Sam leave with Severus in his car and drove over to Severus's house.

Petunia smiled dreamily as she watched Sam drive away. Hal leaned over to his youngest daughter. "Please tell me that boy is single."

Lily could do nothing but laugh.

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus drove up to Severus' home and parked in front of it. They both got out and got their things from the boot and then went to the house, but before Severus could open the door Sam stopped him.<p>

He went over to the door and kneeled at the door handle. "_Open Sesame_." To his relief nothing happened, the door didn't unlock and his mind was at his ease.

"Don't you think that this is a bit much?" Severus asked his friend.

"Oh Severus, if you only knew what I knew, you'd be taking every single precaution imaginable." Sam looked back his friend and then moved aside to let Severus open the door.

"I'm sure it's horrible." Severus sarcastically shot back as he entered the house.

Sam stood up and sighed. "More horrible than you can imagine." He followed Severus in and closed the door behind him and made sure to lock the door.

The two walked into the kitchen to see Eileen pulling a roast out of the oven. Sam and Severus inhaled the delicious aroma of the pork roast. Eileen turned around and smiled, "Hello you two, how was your little outing?"

"It was nice, we met a few of our friends at Diagon Alley, and we just went around actually looking at the stores instead of being in a rushed hurry like when we usually go around the time to buy school supplies." Severus explained.

"Help me with the sides Severus." Eileen asked her son as she brought the Pork Roast to the table.

Severus grabbed the salad as Sam helped and brought the silverware to the table.

They all sat down and talked about their day, and other topics before they all went to bed.

Severus and Sam got dressed in their sleep attire and then went to bed. Severus was hoping that Sam wouldn't move around as much tonight, but he was right. Sam only moved once during the night and Severus managed to get a restful night of sleep.

When Severus woke he felt great, he arose from his bed. "So I see you got over moving in your sleep." Severus turned around to see that Sam's side of the bed was unoccupied. He heard the scratching of a quill on parchment and looked over to see Sam was sitting on the floor writing away, and Severus saw that he was surrounded by several sheets of parchment that all had an immense amount of writing on them.

"What the blue hell are you doing?" Severus asked Sam in a near yell.

"What? I'm writing, I'm getting all my thoughts down in writing before I forget them." Sam looked to be exhausted.

Severus waled around the bed, and saw the condition of his friend and immediately went from being angry to being concerned. "Sam, Jesus how long have you been writing?"

Sam looked to be heavily exhausted as he continued to write. "Uhh, what time did you go to bed?" Sam asked him.

"Around 10:30." Severus answered. "Then I have been awake since 10:30." Sam replied.

Severus looked at his bedroom floor which was covered with parchment upon parchment covered with crazed writing. "Jesus, what is so important that you had to spend the entire night writing? Let me guess, it's about what we found about The Entrance at Diagon Alley and that door to the shop."

Sam nodded. "Yeah."

Severus sighed, "I don't see why this is such a big deal."

"I already told you." Sam continued to write as the door opened. Eileen was there and the door began to move several papers around, and Sam cursed under his breath.

"My goodness why is your floor covered with parchment?" Eileen asked Severus.

"Sam spent the entire night writing." Severus explained.

"The entire night? Sam you should be in bed resting!" Eileen said.

"I can't! I need to link everything together! I have to clear his name!" Sam mumbled.

"Well can I least get you some tea?" Eileen asked Sam.

"...Yeah I'd like some tea Ms. Prince." Sam softly sighed.

Eileen went to get some tea, as well as a sleeping potion. Severus went around and sat in front of Sam. "Okay, explain this to me again Sam so that I can understand it."

Sam looked at Severus and took a deep breath. "Every door, window, safe, and box in Diagon Alley is magically locked. Every store and building is warded to and extent. It's impossible to break into any store in Diagon Alley especially Gringotts, my Father has taught me that himself. The door to Diagon Alley is warded to make sure nothing can bring it down, and can resist the strongest of unlocking spells." Sam leaned in towards Severus. "The fact that somebody has circumvented the charms and wards put up in Diagon Alley has me beyond worried that something is wrong, and that something is in motion."

Severus finally began to understand why Sam was worried, if this was true then whomever had this charm on the doors of Diagon Alley must be planning something big.

It was at this time when Eileen came in with a cup of tea laced with a sleeping potion.

"Here you are Sam, I made this special for you." Eileen smiled.

"Oh thank you Ms. Prince." Sam smiled back as he took a sip of the tea and tasted lemon with shades of honey and downed the entire cup. "That's a nice cup of tea."

For Sam his eyes began to grow heavier and heavier as his arms fell down to his side. "I feel a bit...a bit..." Sam fell unconscious and fell forward into Severus' arms.

"Umph! He's a bit heavier than I expected." Severus groaned.

Eileen pulled out her wand, '_Wingardium Leviosa_.' Sam began to levitate off of Severus and Eileen put Sam into bed and covered him with the bed sheet.

She put her wand away, and whispered to her son. "Come on Severus it's best to leave Sam to sleep."

Severus nodded and got a change of clothes, and then gathered every piece of parchment that Sam had wrote on. He took a quick shower, and got clothed before he went down to the living room and looked over Sam's writings.

Severus was looking over every single piece of parchment that Sam had written on and organized all over his floor and saw that each piece had only one thing in common...They all had the name '_Gabriel_' written and circled on them. Once Sam was awake Severus would ask him who this Gabriel was.

* * *

><p>Sam was still sleeping by the time Severus came back to his room. Severus looked at the clock and saw that Sam had been sleeping for most of the day.<p>

He went over to Sam to try and wake him up. "Sam...Sam?" Severus shook Sam a bit, but it seemed as he was in a deep sleep.

Severus sighed as he gave up trying to wake up Sam. His eyes went over to Sam's spellbook which was out upon his trunk.

Severus knew it was wrong but something compelled him to take another look inside of it.

He opened the spellbook and looked in to see a new bookmarked page, the spell was known as The Lightningbolt Charm, and the incarnation was '_Quantus Fulmen_.'

"That spell is my signature go-to." Sam droned out.

Severus nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around to look at Sam who was sitting up in the bed. "Oh no please don't stop on my account please keep reading."

Severus put the book down, and looked away, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have looked in your book."

"Well, it's only fair after all I looked in your spellbook so you're entitled to look in mine." Sam smiled.

Severus looked at Sam, "Who's Gabriel?" Sam looked at Severus with a curious glint in his eyes, "How do you know Gabriel?"

"Every single piece of parchment had his name on it," Severus explained. "So, who is he?"

"He's my Godfather," Sam explained to Severus.

"Before you conked out you said something about 'clearing his name' what was that all about?"

Sam sat up straight and smacked his tongue, "It was around Six years ago, Gabriel said that he came across some conspiracy that was rooted with Abraxas Malfoy. He said that somehow Malfoy had found a way past Diagon Alley's defenses and was planning to take the collected wealth of Gringotts as well as all the valuables to be found in Diagon Alley."

This got Severus' attention, "Well what happened?"

"Nothing." Sam sighed as he got up and stretched.

"What do you mean nothing? Surely there must have been an investigation or something." Severus said.

"They tried, but Abraxas Malfoy was too smart for them. Gabriel swears that Malfoy had informants on the inside that sabotaged the investigation. All the evidence that Gabriel brought up against Abraxas was lost, and he was rather furious that the case against Abraxas was dropped. It was at this time where Gabriel confronted Abraxas in the streets, the two exchanged words, then Gabriel exchanged fists, and then they exchanged curses. Afterwards Abraxas Malfoy filed a lawsuit against The Auror Department, and Gabriel then decided to quit rather than drag the department down with him."

"Where is he now?" Severus asked Sam.

"Well, the last I saw him was three years ago at a party to celebrate Ernie getting into a private Wizarding institution in America, and he was rather...inebriated. So, my father threw him out of our home, and the last I heard he was living in an apartment in Manchester."

Severus sighed, "And I'm guessing you want to show your findings to him."

Sam nodded. "That man helped me through a tough time in my life, and when times got tough for him...I wasn't there for him. It's about time I fix that."

"Well, I'll go with you." Severus offered. Sam was about to protest, but Severus raised his hand. "I won't hear anything about 'doing this on my own' you helped me with my future education for Hogwarts and I'll be in your debt because of that. This is just me helping you in the smallest way I can."

Sam smiled, he'd never admit it but he was hoping that Severus would accompany him to see Gabriel. He hadn't seen Gabriel for so long he was worried that it might not go right as he hoped.

* * *

><p>In the morning Severus and Sam had a light breakfast before they headed out to Manchester.<p>

Severus was wearing a white t-shirt and his black jeans with his ratty sneakers. Sam was dressed in a yellow shirt with a nice black vest, he had always been prone to wearing his house colors even if he wasn't in Hogwarts.

"So where are you two off to today?" Eileen asked the boys.

"We're going to see my Godfather, I'm not sure you know him, his name is Gabriel Schell."

Eileen remembered the name. "Ah yes, Gabriel Schell I went to school with him."

Sam looked at Eileen, "Does that mean you went to school with my Dad as well? Because my Dad said he and Gabriel went to Hogwarts at the same time and graduated at the same time."

Eileen smiled as she fondly remembered, "Oh I did indeed, your father and Gabriel were attached to the hip when they were at Hogwarts. Tell him I said hi, okay?"

"I'll be sure to do so." Sam promised as he got his and Severus' empty plates and put them in the sink.

"Oh don't worry about those I'll take care of those." Eileen smiled.

"Thanks Ms. Eileen, come on Severus we don't want to miss him."

Severus went over and hugged eileen. "Love you Mum."

"I love you too Severus. Enjoy yourself today!" She smiled as Sam and Severus left the house.

When the door closed Eileen let out a giant sigh of relief. She went over to the couch and plopped down on it and pulled out her wand. '_Accio Yearbook_.'

Her yearbook came down from upstairs and Eileen caught it and opened it to a specific page and saw a picture of Silas, herself, and Gabriel playing Gobstones, and the picture showed that Eileen was creaming the two in her game of choice.

Eileen smiled at that picture she remembered how she had to beg and plead Silas and Gabriel to play Gobstones with her even though they could never beat her.

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus drove for a while, it was a beautiful day and Sam had the top down so they could enjoy the calming breeze, and sunshine that was shining down on them.<p>

It was about a couple of hours that they spent on the road until they reached Manchester.

Sam was driving around one particular part of town looking for the apartment complex that Gabriel was last know to live in.

"You're lost aren't you?" Severus bluntly asked Sam.

"I'm not lost...I have just briefly forgotten where Gabriel's apartment is," Sam retorted.

"Which is the same as being lost," Severus shot back with a smirk.

Sam stuck his tongue out at Severus, it was a few more minutes until Sam slowed down in front of an old Apartment Complex known as 'Ivory Towers.'

"Here we are, I remember the name this is where Gabriel lives...or lived." Sam parked in a spot in front of the apartment building.

The two got out and looked upwards at Ivory Towers. "So, this Gabriel...is he...dangerous?" Severus asked Sam.

"No!" Sam instantly replied.

Severus raised his hands up, "Alright Sam peace, I just wanted to make sure."

Sam frowned slightly, "Well...for the most part. He gets a bit rowdy when he gets inebriated, but he's German so take that with a grain of salt."

Severus looked at Sam, "Rowdy? This isn't the OK Corral here Bat Masterson."

"Let's just hope he's here, I'd hate to go all the way to Munich to speak with him." Sam walked towards the apartment building with Severus close behind.

They entered through the doors and went to the elevator and pressed the button to go to the seventh floor.

Sam then pressed the stop button and the elevator came to an abrupt halt. Severus stumbled a bit while Sam was holding onto the railing so he didn't move as much.

"Sam what the hell? Why the hell did you stop the elevator?" Severus growled as he got a bit angry. "You do realize we're stuck now!"

"No we're not," Sam began to examine the electronic board of buttons. "Now where are you?"

Severus raised an eyebrow, "What are you looking for?" He looked over Sam's should to see what his friend was doing.

Sam was toggling and wiggling each button to see if any of them would give. Just then he was toggling the 'call for service' button and it flipped open. "Nice, it's still here!" Sam pulled out his wand and pressed it against the flipped open button and channeled some magic into it, and then the elevator doors opened to show a wooden door with a sliding peephole right in front of them.

"Okay, that's one of the most incredible things I have seen." Severus admitted.

"I know right! It's like he's hiding in plain sight! I mean who would expect somebody living right between the floor and the ceiling!" Sam grinned as he knocked on the door. There was no answer, so Sam tried again. "Nothing, I hope he didn't leave the country."

"Maybe you should try the doorbell," Severus joked.

"Oh good idea!" Sam looked for the doorbell on the row of buttons and then found the correct button for the doorbell and rang it.

'Ding-Dong.' The melodic bell rang as Sam and Severus waited, and there was still no answer.

"The hell with this." Severus moved past Sam and began to ring the doorbell repeatedly.

"Sev! Stop! You dick!" Sam and Severus fought over control of the doorbell.

"Oy!" Sam and Severus stopped to hear a voice with a slight German accent. "Whomever the hell is ringing on my doorbell you'd better piss off right now!"

"Well, your Godfather sounds really nice," Severus sarcastically muttered.

"Gabriel! It's me, Sam!" Sam yelled through the door.

The peephole slid open as a pair brown eyes covered with strands of brown hair looking at Sam, and then he looked at Severus. "Friend of yours?" He asked Sam.

"Yes this is my friend Severus," Sam answered back and Severus gave a polite wave to Gabriel.

"You vouch for him?"

"I do."

The peephole closed and then Gabriel began to unlock several locks before the door opened to show a relatively thin man with wild, long and unkempt brown hair that would make James Potter's hair look tame. His mustache was a bit cleaner than his hair and he had nine o'clock shadow that seemed to be permanently frozen on his face. Gabriel was in his pants while also wearing a white and gold bathrobe.

"Gabriel, it's great to see you again! You're looking well!" Sam smiled.

"It's nice to see you as well Samual, so what are you doing here?" Gabriel asked his Godchild.

"I've got to ask you something about The Malfoy Case..."

"Now why the fuck would you want to know anything about that fucking case?" Gabriel gruffly asked Sam, it was apparent that those wounds from that case were still open.

"I think we might have found something." Sam told him.

Gabriel glared at him. "Really? Six years afterwards, my career as an Auror down the toilet and you seem to have found something?"

"He's only trying to help you, you could at least be thankful he brought this to you!" Severus frowned.

Gabriel sighed and looked at Sam, "Kid I appreciate the visit, but I have another guest to entertain, of the female variety."

He closed the door and left Sam and Severus in the elevator. Sam growled and banged on the door, "Gabriel please I think Severus and I came across something that may clear this entire mess up!"

"Come on let's just go Sam, it's obvious that he doesn't want to hear it." Severus leaned on the back railing of the elevator.

Sam ignored Severus and kept banging on the door, "Please Gabriel this is important!"

Gabriel opened the sliding peephole, "Alright since you say it's so important then tell me."

Sam thought it over and chose his words carefully. "**Open Sesame**."

Gabriel's eyes widened and he closed the peephole and opened the door. "How do you know about that? I distinctly left that part out of my report, there's no way you could have known unless..." Gabriel rambled.

"Severus and I went to Diagon Alley, we forgot the correct combination to open the wall, and then talked about maybe saying, 'Open Sesame' and then the wall opened. At first we didn't think anything about it, but then I used the phrase to open a locked door to a store, and then everything you said about your case came rushing back to me." Sam explained everything.

"Okay, okay give me a minute." Gabriel left the door open and retreated back into his apartment, and went into another room, soon afterwards Sam and Severus heard a conversation between Gabriel and a woman, and saw a very attractive Witch who was just barely dressed get into his fireplace and floo away.

Severus could have sworn that Sam flinched when she went through the Floo Network.

Gabriel then came out wearing a long sleeve shirt and pants, "Would you like to come in?"

Sam and Severus entered Gabriel's apartment and sat on the couch in his living room as Gabriel got an empty glass and a bottle of Vodka.

"Umm Gabriel?" Sam looked at his Godfather.

"Yeah Kid what is it?" Gabriel asked his Godson as he poured the vodka into the glass.

"Isn't it like 10:30 in the morning?" Sam asked him.

Gabriel looked at the clock above his mantlepiece, "So it is." He went to the refrigerator, retrieved a container of orange juice and then poured it into his glass of vodka and then mixed it with his finger and then took a sip. "Ahhh, that's better." He sat in a loveseat across from Sam and Severus. "I'm just going to ask you two to forget you saw that lovely witch going through the floo, her husband would get mighty pissed if he found out that his wife was stepping out with me."

"We don't even know who she was," Severus exclaimed.

"Good, the less you two know, the better." Gabriel took another sip of his drink, "Now, tell me everything you know, both of you."

So, Sam and Severus told Gabriel everything that they knew, Sam brought his writings on the subject and gave them to Gabriel.

Gabriel was walking around reading everything that Sam had wrote. "So what do you think Gabriel?" Sam asked his Godfather.

Gabriel walked back to his loveseat and sat down, "A few years after I left The Aurors I thought that maybe there was no evidence and perhaps I was just crazy, but this!" He held Sam's notes. "This proves everything! Unfortunately, the statute of limitations ran out a year ago so even if we go to The Aurors they can't prosecute him."

"But...isn't there some way to stop Malfoy from what's he's planning?" Severus asked Gabriel.

Gabriel was thinking, "We need to have someone from The Auror Department to witness."

"Well you were an Auror, can't you just..." Severus began.

"No," Gabriel interrupted Severus. "It's not that easy anymore. When I quit, I left many burned bridges behind me. The friends I still have in The Auror's Department aren't so eager to help me."

"Well, I'm sure if the son of 'Seven Wands' Silas walks in to ask to speak to an Auror they'd be more than understanding." Severus looked at Sam.

"Fine, but I really hate playing that card." Sam groaned.

* * *

><p>Alastor Moody was going over the last message from his partner Silas Yalarad. Silas was part of an international Manhunt for certain Dark Wizards known as 'The Dark Disciples' and he was currently in Austria, but Moody knew that the only reason that Silas was part of this International Task-Force, it was because one of the wizards that the Task Force were looking for was Antonin Dolohov.<p>

Moody knew why Silas was so obsessed with Dolohov, and the subject was one that was something he knew better than to bring up. With both eyes fixed on the paper in his hand Moody read the message over and over.

_'Moody,_

_I'm nearing him, it will be over soon. Tell Sam, Marie and Ernest I'll be home soon._

_Silas.'_

Moody sighed as he put the missive down and was hesitant to begin his paperwork which was piling up on his desk.

"Sir," Moody's new Auror straight from the Academy named Kingsley Shacklebolt was at the door of his office.

"Kingsley if I've told you once, I've told you several times over you aren't in The Academy anymore you are an Auror just as I. There's no need for the pleasantries. What is it that you need?" Moody asked Shacklebolt.

"There's somebody here to see you, it's Samual Yalarad." Kinglsey said.

Moody's eyes rose, "Sammy's here? By all means let him in."

Kingsley left and a few minutes later Sam walked over and knocked on the open door. "Moody!" Sam smiled.

Alastor looked up from his mountain of paperwork and gave a bellowing laugh. "Sam Yalarad, get over here!"

The Auror embraced the son of his partner in a giant hug. "How are you? I haven't seen you since you were a little tyke getting ready for Hogwarts! Now what brings you over here?" They broke off the hug and Alastor motioned for Sam to take a seat.

"Moody, I've always seen you like an Uncle, hell Ernie and Marie love you like you were a member of our family."

"What do you want Sam?" Alastor grinned as he sat back in his chair.

Sam knew that the jig was up and he had to come clean straight forward. "I don't ask for much, right?

Alastor nodded, "From me? No. Your father on the other hand gave you free reign to use your family fortune however you want while he's away and you haven't brought your family into financial ruin just yet so I can guess you aren't here for money."

"Do you remember the case that made Gabriel quit?" Sam asked Alastor.

"Of course I do," Alastor chuckled. "I remember seeing Gabriel deck Abraxas right in the face...just before they began to duel." He grimaced, "Then your father got inbetween Gabriel and Abraxas." Alastor sighed, "After that your father and Gabriel got into an argument and then afterwards Gabriel quit."

"Well, I need a favor, a real big one!" Sam implored Alastor.

"What is it? It must be important if you're coming to me."

"I need you and a few other Aurors to be in front of Gringotts at 4 o'clock tomorrow morning."

Alastor looked at Sam, "Why on Earth do you want me, and a few other Aurors at Gringotts tomorrow?" He straightened up in his chair. "Is somebody planning on breaking into Gringotts?"

Sam shifted in his chair, "Well...generally speaking yes, but..."

Alastor Moody shot up out of his seat and got his staff, "Right, well thanks for this tip Sam. Don't you worry I'll have a group of Aurors there to catch those miscreants." He then rushed out of his office to gather men and prepare.

Sam was sitting there in Moody's office. "Well, shit."

* * *

><p>It was 3:57 and Moody was near Gringotts with his old Partner Orion Black as well as Shacklebolt and a few other Aurors straight from the Academy.<p>

Alastor turned to the greenhorns. "Alright, our mission is this arrest a group of people from breaking into Gringotts. I have already told Goblins who work there of this plot and they have made special precautions so that even if we were routed the doors of Gringotts would never open!"

Orion Black looked to be rather annoyed to be up this early, "Who gave you this information exactly? How do you know that you just did not get sent on a wild gremlin chase?"

"This information comes from a trusted source, and that's all you need to..." Moody fell silent. "Someone is coming, prepare yourselves!"

The group of Aurors took out their wands and prepared themselves.

A pair of footsteps were heard as well as a hushed conversation, sweat dripped down Alastor's face as readied his staff for battle. He saw three figures walk over towards the bank.

"NOW!" Alastor barked.

* * *

><p>Five Minutes Earlier<p>

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus were waiting at the Entrance to Diagon Alley, they had managed to sneak out without alerting Eileen and they were now waiting for Gabriel to join them.<p>

"Where the hell is he?" Severus asked Sam obviously a bit miffed for getting up this early.

"Hey relax we still have about..." Sam looked around and couldn't find a clock of any kind.

Severus sighed in frustration and pulled out a pocketwatch, "We have about five minutes, so he'd better get here fast!"

A few minutes later and Gabriel walked though the doorway leading to Diagon Alley.

"So sorry for being tardy, I hope that you two weren't waiting for long," Gabriel apologized for his tardiness.

Severus grumbled under his breath and Sam sighed, "Well we were waiting for a while, but at least we are all here."

Gabriel opened the door to Diagon Alley and the three of them walked over towards Gringotts.

"So is Moody going to be here?" The Retired Auror asked his Godson.

Sam nodded his head and gave a verbal confirmation.

Gabriel looked at Sam and groaned, "He took it the wrong way didn't he?"

Sam sighed and nodded, "Yeah."

"And he thinks that there are people trying to actually break into Gringotts."

"Uh-huh." Sam nodded.

Severus looked at Sam, "And you neglected to tell us about this why?!"

They walked over to the front of Gringotts. "Would you relax Severus, I'm sure that if we find Moody that we can..."

"NOW!"

A barrage of spells flew past the trio's heads. Gabriel instinctively casted a nonverbal '_Protego_' and cast it around Sam, Severus, and himself, he then pulled out his wallet with his former Auror badge. "Ceasefire! Ceasefire Merlin damn it! There's juveniles here!"

The spells subsided and a lone voice came out, "Gabriel?" Alastor Moody popped out. "Well well well, Gabriel Schell. I would have expected as much, a former Auror turned to a life of crime." Orion Black tutted his tongue as walked out of cover with his wand in hand.

"I'm not trying to break the law...Okay maybe a little, but I'm not trying to steal anything from Gringotts I just want to see if I'm right." Gabriel stopped the 'Protego' and Alastor moody looked at Sam. "Now what on Earth are you doing here Sam, you told me someone was trying to break into Gringotts!"

"Well I was trying to explain but..." Sam started to talk, but Orion Black interrupted him. "Wait, are you trying to tell me that this young boy told you about this 'heist'?"

"He is no boy," Gabriel yelled. "He is Samual Yalarad, son of Silas, son of Sherwood!"

The Aurors gave a collected bow as Samual stood in an awkward silence.

"You are Samual Yalarad?" Orion looked at Sam.

Sam gave a small bow to Orion Black, "Yes Lord Black I am."

"My son has told me much about you."

"Which son would that be? The Scholar or The Thug?"

Orion glared at Samual. "Watch your tongue. That is my son you insult."

"It's be kind of hard to watch my tongue." Sam smirked.

"Anyway." Alastor got inbetween Sam and Orion. "I think you'd better explain yourself Samual."

"Why explain when we can show you," Sam looked at Gabriel. "The floor is yours Godfather."

Gabriel nodded and went to the doors of Gringotts. "If you plan on going in you can't. Alastor called the Goblins and told them about the plot, they have fortified their entrance, you will find no easy way inside." Orion explained to his former partner and protege.

Gabriel looked back at Orion, "Open Sesame."

The Doors to Gringotts unlocked and then opened. The Aurors outside and The Goblins inside were shocked to see what they had witnessed. Gabriel walked through the crowd of Auror and looked at the shops of Diagon Alley, put his wand to his throat and casted 'Sonorus.' "Open Sesame!" All the doors of Diagon, and Knockturn Alley unlocked and then opened. Everyone looked at the sight. "Merlin's Beard!" Alastor exclaimed. "That's impossible!" Orion gritted through his teeth.

Gabriel let out a sigh of relief as a large and immense weight was dropped from his shoulders. He turned around to look at Orion Black.

"There's no conspiracy to sack Gringotts Gabriel, you're just being Paranoid!" Gabriel recited Orion Black's words from Six years ago. "Abraxas Malfoy hasn't circumvented Diagon Alley's wards Gabriel, you're just being paranoid! There aren't any spies in The Auror Department trying to sabotage your investigation Gabriel, you're just being Paranoid!"

"Okay! Okay!" Alastor went to Gabriel and put his hands on his shoulders. "I think we've now have considerable evidence to clear your name now. Unfortunately we cannot bring Abraxas in for this."

"Why not?" Severus asked Alastor.

"There's a little thing called Double Jeopardy, we cannot try a man for the same crime twice," Alastor explained. "However we can make sure that every single door, ward, and entrance is protected from this!"

Gabriel gave a small smile, "Thank you." At last, Gabriel Schell finally received his peace.

* * *

><p>Thanks for reading, and please do me a favor and review this chapter that would be grand. Give it a follow and favorite it as well!<p>

Now an excerpt from the upcoming chapter.

* * *

><p>As Sam walked towards the door he had a chilling sensation run up his back, and he shivered.<p>

"What is it?" Severus asked his friend.

"Sev, I don't know what it is...but I got a feeling something bad is heading our way."

* * *

><p>AN 2: So, I will be taking part in the 2014 NaNoWriMo and that won't leave me with enough time to update this story so the earliest you will see another chapter will be in December.

Thanks for Understanding and have a Happy Halloween, and Thanksgiving!


	11. A Plan Amongst The Shadows

I do not own Harry Potter of any of its properties.

* * *

><p>Gabriel Schell, Sam and Severus were escorted to The Leaky Cauldron to Floo back to the Auror Headquarters as a number of Warding Technicians came in to take down the 'Open Sesame' Charm and reinforce every ward, lock and enchantment in Diagon Alley in record time before the shops opened and customers came in.<p>

Alastor, and Orion led Gabriel, Sam, and Severus inside The Leaky Cauldron. "Alright, we need you three to come down to the Auror Department to give a statement on what happened here." Alastor explained.

"Is this going to take very long? I'd like to get back in time to sneak back into my bed before my Mum tears apart the neighborhood to look for me." Severus asked Moody.

"This won't take much of your time, and your testimony will be confidential as well as anonymous."

Severus sighed, "Thank you, last thing I need is more reason for Ian and his gang of misfits to hate me, and I don't even want to think about Lucius." He whispered that last parts to Sam.

"You're not alone anymore Sev, you've got me and The United at your back. No-one's gonna dare mess with you next year." Sam affirmed as he whispered back.

Severus smiled at that, "Thanks."

Orion Black went through the Floo first, and Severus saw Sam give a subtle twitch at the green flames that rose up.

"Sam, are you okay?" Severus asked his friend.

"I...yeah...I'm fine," Sam unconvincingly lied. Gabriel and Alastor looked back at Sam.

"Christ kid, are you still afraid of The Floo?" Gabriel bluntly asked Sam.

"Gabriel!" Sam glared at his Godfather.

Severus looked at Gabriel and then back to Sam, "You're afraid of the Floo?"

Sam looked down at floor and sighed, "Terrified, if we're being honest."

Alastor smacked Gabriel on the arm and gave him a look. "If you want to meet us there, you can drive that car of yours, I trust you remember where the location of the entrance is."

Sam nodded, "I remember, thank you Moody."

Alastor Moody looked back to Gabriel and grabbed him by the ear and pulled him through the Floo to The Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

When the flames rose again Sam walked away from fireplace.

"Wait! Sam hold up!" Severus called after his friend. Sam stopped in his place and looked away from Severus. "Hey, come on Sam look at me, I'm not going to laugh at you."

Sam turned around and faced his friend, "I...know that it's..."

"You don't have to explain anything," Severus told Sam. "We all have things that we're afraid of, it makes us human. You've got nothing to be ashamed of, so what if you're afraid of The Floo, I'm afraid of being in open water."

"What do you mean?" Sam looked at Severus.

"Like...I can stand being in a bathtub or pool, hell even one of those Olympic swimming pools, y'know something where I can see the bottom of what I'm in, but if we're talking about an ocean or a sea, or The Black Lake back at Hogwarts...then forget it."

"What about a beach?" Sam asked.

"It's fine if I stay close to the shore and I can still touch the bottom with my feet."

After Severus' confession Sam sighed. "So...do you want to go through the Floo, and I'll drive over to The Ministry?"

"I don't want to leave you alone." Severus said.

"It'll be faster that way, you can give your confession and then I'll arrive, and then give mine and then we'll be off."

"Are you sure, I don't mind driving with you."

"Severus, it's only going to be a quick drive, I'll be there in Ten minutes!" Sam smiled.

Severus relented and got into the fireplace, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Sam exclaimed, "Now go!"

Severus got the Floo Dust, "Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic!" Severus flooed away in a puff of ash and green flame.

Sam flinched a bit, but then maintained his composure and then went out to his car.

* * *

><p>Gabriel Schell put his feet on the desk in front of him. "This feels nice, familiar, and it feels oh so good!"<p>

The Desk that Gabriel's dirty boots were on belonged to Rufus Scrimgeour, who was not amused that Gabriel's feet were resting on his desk. The fact that Rufus was sitting at his desk while Gabriel had his feet on his desk irked him.

"If this feels familiar to you then I should have been more harder on you when you were at the Academy. Now would you kindly take your boots off of my desk."

Gabriel smirked, and then took his boots off and then put his feet on Scrimgeour's desk. "Better?"

Scrimgeour wasn't amused, Orion was disgusted, and Alastor was trying not to laugh.

"Still a wise-ass as ever, eh Alastor?" Scrimgeour asked Alastor.

"It's like he never left." Alastor chuckled.

Gabriel smirked, "So why am I here? You already know everything about Malfoy's plan and you've sent Wardsmiths to mend the problem, so what do you need from me?"

Scrimgeour sighed as he pulled open a drawer, pulled out a new Auror Badge, and pushed it towards Gabriel.

Gabriel looked at the shiny new Auror badge and then flashed his old one, "Thanks but I like mine just fine."

"I don't know whether you realize..." Scrimgeour began.

Gabriel interrupted him, "I know you mean, but I don't think after so long I'd be a good fit." Gabriel pushed the badge back to Scrimgeour. "Besides, even if I said yes, I don't think I'd pass the numerous physical and mental evaluations to let me back on the force."

"Have you let yourself go these past years?" Orion asked his former pupil.

"You're one to talk, look how fat you've gotten. You look like a sausage that's about to burst out of it's casing," Gabriel joked as he pointed at Orion's gut.

Orion looked ready to choke the life out of Gabriel as he crossed his arms, and Alastor just began to chuckle.

"As for me...nah. Thanks but I've already taken a position elsewhere," Gabriel got up and walked over to the window near the door.

Alastor looked over at Gabriel, "And where exactly did you take this position?"

"It's in Scotland, I figured the fresh air would do me good, besides the stuff I do over there will do good for my resume when I ask for an Instructor Position in The Auror Academy."

Scrimgeour looked to be thinking, "Sounds reasonable."

Gabriel looked over at his old desk and looked across it to see a desk with several piles of unopened letters and files on it. "So where's Silas?"

Alastor looked at Scrimgeour who then nodded. "He's in Austria," Alastor told him

Gabriel looked back at them. "Dolohov?"

Scrimgeour nodded, "Dolohov."

"How close is he?"

"In the last letter he sent me, he was getting close." Alastor said.

"I know the families that live in Austria if you want me to send a message." Gabriel offered.

"That's quite alright, we already have international cooperation to take down Dolohov, but thank you for the offer," Scrimgeour thanked Gabriel.

Gabriel saw Severus walk into the main Auror Offices. "Well, I figure you might want to talk to Severus, and get his point of view."

Orion walked over and saw Severus and sneered, "If what my son says is true, he is nothing more than a fledgling Death Eater. He'll probably try to withhold evidence if anything."

Gabriel looked at his former mentor, "You know I've only recently met Severus, and Sam's only known him for a little while longer, and Sam's the greatest judge of character of all, so if he likes Severus then he's fine in my book."

"Then Samual doesn't seem that smart to be friends with that piece of trash," he motioned at Severus.

Gabriel swiftly stomped Orion's foot, and then took out his wand and put it in Orion's mouth when he went to yell, and then grabbed his collar. "Just because you taught me what I know doesn't mean that gives you a free pass to slander the ones I care for." He took out his wand from Orion's mouth.

"How dare you!" Orion gritted through his teeth. "I should have never took pity on you to take you under my wing!"

"Well, the egg has been broken, there's no way to un-break it." Gabriel let Orion go.

"Rufus, if I'm no longer needed, I will be taking my leave!" Orion Black then walked out of the door and left The Auror Department.

Severus walked over to the office. "Sam will be here shortly, he's taking his car over here."

"I see," Alastor said. "Severus Snape, might I introduce you to Rufus Scrimgeour the Head of The Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

Severus went over and shook Scrimgeour's hand, "It's a pleasure Mr. Snape, now then." Scrimgeour took a piece of parchment and a quill. "It's been a while since I've done this but may I take your statement?"

Severus nodded and sat down and began telling him about everything.

* * *

><p>A balding, portly janitor was working the night shift and was mopping the floors and saw Orion Black walking in a huff from the offices.<p>

"Milord Black, what are you doing here at this time of night?" The janitor asked.

"Hello Festus, well I was here on a favor of Alastor's and we found out that my...former pupil Gabriel Schell's accusation about Abraxas Malfoy a few years ago was correct."

Festus Louch straightened up after hearing this, "Is that right, well what was he correct about?"

"It turns out that there was a charm or some sort of enchantment that superseded the wards in Diagon Alley, and we are now doing what we can to fix that."

"...I see, and who found this out? Schell?" Festus asked.

"No, it was the son of Silas Yalarad, Samual." Orion was beginning to hate saying that name. "Well, I'm heading back home, goodnight Festus."

"Goodnight Milord Black." Festus bowed a bit and waited until Orion Black left. He then began to quickly finish his cleanings and then left for the night. He then apparated to his flat in Ipswitch and then went over to his fireplace and got a handful of floo powder, and threw it into the fireplace. "_Mordred's Might_!"

The green flames erupted as a face appeared in the fireplace. "Festus, why have you called be at this ungodly hour?!" The Man roared.

"Milord Mulciber, I have a bit of information that may be useful to you."

* * *

><p>Sam managed to get to The Department of Magical Law Enforcement a few minutes after Severus began his interview.<p>

He walked into the offices, and saw Moody and Gabriel outside Scrimgeour's office.

"Gabriel, Moody!" He walked over to them.

"What took you so long kid?" Gabriel teased Sam. "You know if you never face your fear you'll never be able to overcome it."

"I know, I know." Sam muttered.

"Well, your friend is being interviewed by Scrimgeour, so how about I take your statement and hopefully we'll be done before 5:30 and you can get back to bed."

"Thanks Moody."

Alastor took Sam over to his desk and he then began his inquiry. During the interview Sam looked over at his father's desk. "Where is he?"

Gabriel and Alastor looked at Silas' desk, and Alastor sighed. "You know I can't tell you that Sam." Sam nodded.

"He's in Austria." Gabriel blurted out.

Alastor turned to Gabriel. "Schell! What the hell?"

"Oh come on, it's not like we told him exactly where he is."

"Is it about Dolohov?" Sam asked. "It is isn't it?"

Gabriel lied, "Maybe, I don't know."

Sam sighed, "Are we done?"

"Yes, we're done," Alastor said.

Severus was escorted by Scrimgeour to Sam. "If what I hear from Mr. Snape is true, we have you to thank for all of this."

"I couldn't have done it without Severus helping me Sir." Sam stated.

Scrimgeour chuckled. "I'm sure that is true, but I've heard great things about you Samual. Just say the word and I'm sure that if you pass all your 7th Year OWL's I can have you in the Auror Program as soon as you graduate."

"Thank you for the offer, but...I'm not too sure if I want to follow in my Father's footsteps...I'd have too big of shoes to fill."

Scrimgeour laughed, "Yes that would be a tough act to follow, anyway I believe we have enough information, so you and Severus may be on your way."

Sam and Severus said their goodbyes and walked away from the Aurors.

"I wonder if he will follow his Father to become an Auror," Scrimgeour pondered.

"Probably not, he's more like his mother, peace instead of war." Alastor mentioned.

"That might be the Alexandria you knew. The Alexandria I knew was Slow to Anger, but Quick to Justice."

"All the makings of an Auror." Scrimgeour smiled.

* * *

><p>Sam and Severus walked past Silas Yalarad's desk and Sam stopped. Severus turned to look at his friend. "What's up Sam?"<p>

"Nothing, I just want to leave my Dad a note."

Sam got a piece of parchment from his father's desk and wrote a short little note for his father, telling him where he was staying, and that he was safe and all the pertinent information.

"Okay, that should be good. Okay Severus, we can go!"

Sam and Severus drove back to Cokeworth, racing against time and the sunrise as the sped down the road.

It was nearing 6:00 as Severus and Sam drove up to his house. "Hopefully, we can sneak in and my Mum will be none the wiser." Severus whispered to Sam.

"Sev?"

"Yeah Sam?"

"Why are we whispering?"

Severus looked at Sam. "I haven't got the foggiest, I thought the situation called for it."

They both got out and headed to the house.

As Sam walked towards the door he had a chilling sensation run up his back, and he shivered.

"What is it?" Severus asked his friend.

"Sev, I don't know what it is...but I got a feeling something bad is heading our way."

Severus looked at his friend, "I think you're getting paranoid."

"I like to think of it as hyper-vigilance."

Severus opened the door as quietly as he could and took off his shoes, and Sam followed suit. They slowly walked into the house tip-toeing as they went further into the house.

"So..."

Sam and Severus froze in place as the looked to see Eileen in the recliner in the living room sipping a cup of tea.

"Where have you two been so early in the morning?"

Sam gulped and tried to go back out the door, but Eileen closed the door with a wave of her hand.

Severus squeaked, "I can explain!"

"Oh can you? Do you know how worried I was? Checking up on you two, seeing there was nothing but pillows under your covers!" She laughed, "You two had better have a good excuse."

Severus and Sam sat down on the couch and then began to explain their story from the beginning, and at the end Eileen looked to be more relieved than angry.

"Well, I'm glad Gabriel's been cleared with The Department, but you two should have told me so that I wouldn't be so worried," Eileen sighed.

"I'm sorry Mum." Severus looked a bit downtrodden.

"I am sorry as well Ms. Eileen. If anything I'm more guilty cause I dragged Severus into this."

"From what you both told me it seems as Severus went with you on his own accord."

"Umm...Stockholm Syndrome?"

"Nice try, just promise me you won't be sneaking out in the dead of night anymore," Eileen asked of Sam and Severus.

"I promise Mum." Severus swore.

"Me too Ms. Eileen...for as long as I'm here."

Eileen chuckled, "I suppose you two are dead tired. Go on upstairs and get some sleep, and I'll wake you up for Lunch."

Severus ran upstairs to reach his bed, and Sam followed him up. "Sev! Don't be a pillow hog!" Sam yelled as the two hit the sack. "My bed, my rules!" Severus stuck out his tongue.

"You Dick!"

Eileen laughed as the two of them bickering reminded her of Gabriel and Silas back in their Hogwarts days.

* * *

><p>That night was the summer solstice, and as tradition was a Ball that was held at Malfoy Manor.<p>

All of the 'respectable' Pureblood families would be attending. Abraxas Malfoy was looking over everything making sure things would be perfect once guests arrive.

The Elder Malfoy was 62 years old, his eyes were hard like stone, his hairline was receding yet he still commanded respect from those he consorted with. He saw his son and heir Lucius was going over the final seating arrangements with his betrothed Narcissa Malfoy.

He smiled, he knew that his line would be secure and his future grandchildren would give him much joy. Abraxas' wife died in Lucius' 4th year at Hogwarts and the hole that she left in Abraxas' heart made him more determined to make this world a better place for his family.

The guests soon began to arrive and The Solstice Ball was underway.

There was music of the royal and classical variety, with lutes, drums, strings, and harps.

Abraxas with a goblet of wine in hand looked over the crowd. He could see proper Pureblood families have attended, such as The Carrows, The Mulcibers, The Rosiers, and several more families to many to name. It was a great turnout, even if there were a few prominent families missing.

There were no other representatives from House Black, except for Narcissa and Bellatrix who helped get the Ball together.

Then a limping house elf walked over to Abraxas, "My Lord?"

"I thought I told you to stay out of sight, I don't want the guests to view your disgusting figure!" Abraxas glared down at his house elf.

"My Lord, Master Mulciber has called for a meeting with you, Master LeStrange, and Master Rosier." The Elf said with a depressed frown.

Abraxas looked up and saw Ian Mulciber Sr. motioning for him to join him, Evan Rosier, and Rudolph LeStrange.

"Very well, tell them I'll be there in a moment, escort them to the Billiards Room, and serve them whatever they want." Abraxas ordered.

The House Elf bowed and popped away to the other side of the room to escort them to The Billiards Room.

Abraxas finished his wine and then traversed the room, making polite small talk with his guests until he found his son sitting with Narcissa together. "Lucius."

Lucius turned to his father and stood up straight, "Yes Father?"

"Lords LeStrange, Rosier, Mulciber, and myself will be up in the Billiards Room discussing something, until I return you are in charge, do you understand?"

"I do Father, I will make sure things run smoothly until you return."

He turned to Narcissa and gave a quaint smile, "I must thank you once more for helping me make this Ball a reality Narcissa."

She smiled back, "It was nothing Lord Malfoy."

"Please, call me Father, in a few short years we will be family!" He looked around. "Where are your parents, as well as your sisters?"

"I'm sorry to say that Mother and Father had prior engagements this evening and they couldn't make it, Andromeda is back home working on a project for school, and...I don't know where Bellatrix is, I saw Rodolphus around with Rabastan so I expect that she is with them."

"Well, tell your parents that we must get together sometime for dinner, and I understand their reasons for not coming. After all one must honor their commitments." Abraxas smiled and then was on his way to the Billiards Room.

Abraxas entered the room to see his fellow Death Eaters. It was him, Abraxas. Along with Rudolph, who was pouring himself a cordial. Evan, who was about to start a game of Billiards. Then there was Ian, who was sitting on a lounge chair drinking a fine bourbon. These four individuals made up the core foundation of their Lord's top tier of leadership. They were the four leaders who reported everything to their Master, and in turn gave our the strictest of orders from their Master to the Death Eaters.

"Well, what seemed to be so important to drag me away from the festivities?" Abraxas asked aloud.

"Don't ask me Abraxas," Rudolph said. "It was Ian who called the meeting." He sat upon the Billiards Table with drink in hand.

Abraxas looked over at the Senior Mulciber, "Okay Ian why did you call this meeting?"

"I was wondering if you had heard the news," Mulciber smiled as he sipped his bourbon.

Abraxas crossed his arms, "I have no idea what you are talking about. I've been spending the past three days here getting ready for the Ball."

"One of my spies had told me something quite interesting in the past day."

"Which spy might this be?" Evan asked as he chalked up his Billiards Cue.

"Does it matter?" Ian asked his compatriot.

"Humor us Ian," Abraxas said, his patience wearing thin.

"...Festus Louch."

Evan and Rudolph began to laugh, and Abraxas couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Festus Louch? The Plump Drunk! He'd tell you anything if it meant a bottle of Firewhiskey!" Rudolph bellowed in laughter.

"It doesn't matter if he's a drunkard. He's a janitor in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and he's loyal to our cause!"

"And what has Festus Louch told you, eh? What has this pathetic insect of a man told you?" Abraxas asked Mulicber Sr.

"He told me that they found out your back-up plan."

Abraxas looked at Ian Mulciber Sr. "What did you say?"

"They found about your plan to sack Gringotts and Diagon Alley. The Department sent Wardsmiths to fix everything."

Abraxas now had a fierce scowl of pure anger. "MIMSY GET IN HERE!" Abraxas called for his House Elf.

Mimsy popped in, "How may I serve you Lord..." Mimsy didn't get to finish his sentence as Abraxas pointed his wand at him, '_Interfectus_!'

Several cuts, cysts and dark bruises littered the Elf's body as he fell over with a yell of agonizing pain, it landed on it's side and began to cough up blood and pus, but Abraxas just got more furious and continued to curse the elf until it died right there where it lied. The others felt no remorse for the Elf or saw any reason to stop Abraxas.

Abraxas stood over the dead house elf, heavily panting to try and calm down. "You know I rather did like that House Elf," Evan Rosier admitted.

Abraxas turned to him, and Rosier put his hands up, "I'm just saying."

"I want to know who found it out, was it Schell? I hope it was, I want to be there when he draws his last breath!" Abraxas fumed.

"You're half right Abraxas, it was Schell as well as someone else." Mulciber Sr. said.

"Who?!"

"Don't keep us waiting Ian, we'd like to know," Rudolph was on the edge of his seat.

"It was Samual Yalarad who found it out." Mulciber Sr. told them.

Everyone took a deep breath, Gabriel Schell was one thing. The son and Heir of one of the greatest Aurors to ever walk the Earth was a different story.

Abraxas calmed down and then sat in an adjacent seat across from Rudolph, "Well, well I see."

"What are we going to do about this?" Rosier asked his fellow Death Eaters.

"We need to make an example out of them, Schell we can take out no problem...but Samual Yalarad, I don't know..." Ian Mulciber Sr. thought aloud.

"What else can we do? If we choose to do nothing, it may seem like a sign of weakness on our part," Rudolph pointed out. "But, if we decide to take action against the boy, and his father finds out...Hell it might start this war a bit too prematurely."

Abraxas was deep in thought, "Well does anyone have an idea?" Nobody openly shared any ideas, "Please? Anybody?" Abraxas asked.

"Well, I have an ideas." Rudolph admitted, he got up and talked as he walked around, "We all know Silas Yalarad's obsession with Antonin Dolohov, and how the two have a shared hatred of each other."

Everyone nodded, and Rudolph continued. "Well, instead of commanding any of our Death Eaters at our disposal now. We summon Dolohov back from Austria and have him kill The Young Yalarad. That way, it will seem like Dolohov will looked to exact a bit of his revenge and Silas will be even more obsessed with him to focus on anything else that we might do."

Abraxas nodded in agreement with this idea, "And should he fail?"

"Then he'll be killed far sooner than he can stand before The Wizengamot. We all know that Silas Yalarad is far more likely to kill his targets rather than bring them in, and I'll bet you that's what is going to happen when he gets his hands on Dolohov."

Abraxas sat there in silence thinking about it. "Can anybody think of another option?"

The room fell silent, and then Abraxas made his decision. "Have Dolohov, brought to my home...discreetly. We don't want a handful of Aurors barging in with a search warrant," He told Rudolph.

Rudolph nodded, "I'll do so immediately when I return home."

"Is that everything?" Abraxas asked.

"Not necessarily Abraxas," Evan Rosier mentioned. "We still have to discuss about your niece, Astrid."

"What of Astrid?" Abraxas got a bit defensive.

"Well, she is coming into her own as a Lady and you still haven't betrothed her to anyone."

"And?" Abraxas harshly asked.

"Well, you have your niece, I have my son."

Mulciber Sr. laughed, "No offense to you or your son, but if she were to be betrothed to anybody, she should be betrothed to my son."

"Gentlemen," Abraxas politely said. "While I am honored that you would offer your sons to marry my niece, I am only her Guardian. I only take care of her, everything about her betrothal was taken care of by my brother Adelard, before his Death at the hands of Oslo Dain."

Evan and Ian shook their heads, "Of course Abraxas, we didn't mean to reopen any old wounds."

"It is all right, please return downstairs and rejoin the festivities." Abraxas gave a smile to his fellow Death Eaters.

Ian Mulicber Sr. and Evan Rosier left the Billiards Room. Rudolph finished his drink and walked over to Abraxas.

"Now, you're sure you want me to get Dolohov back here?" He asked Abraxas.

"The boy knew what he was doing, in doing so he incurred the Wrath of Our Lord." Abraxas looked over at Rudolph, "What else can I do?"

"Nothing, let's rejoin the Ball...after we take your former House Elf out back and incinerate it."

Abraxas looked at the body of his former House Elf, "Right, I nearly forgot about that."

Rudolph and Abraxas went over and picked up the dead elf and wrapped it in the rug it was laying on and brought it to the backyard away from the guests.

After all, it was the duties of a Host to make sure nothing would disturb his guests.

* * *

><p>Severus' eyes flickered open as he awoke, his head lifted off the pillow as he looked and saw that Sam was thankfully on his own side sleeping soundly and softly. He sighed thankfully as he slowly got out of bed and walked down the stairs.<p>

He entered the kitchen to see his mother was gathering ingredients to take downstairs to her lab, "Well, good morning Sunshine."

"How long was I asleep for?" Severus asked his Mother. "You two were asleep an entire day, so I decided to let you sleep away." Eileen got a wooden crate, put it on the table and began to fill it with several jars.

Severus walked over to the table, put some gloves on and helped his Mother put the jars into the crate.

"Oh thank you Severus." With his help Eileen managed to fill the crate completely. "Would you be so kind, and open the door."

"Sure," Severus opened the door for his Mother, and she took out her wand and the crate levitated down to the potions lab, and landed on the ground next to her work station.

Eileen sat down at the table, "Thank you Severus."

"Are you going to be doing some work? Would you like some help?"

"I've gotten an order in for 500 vials of Pepper Up Potion, and I need to get on that now if I want to make it on time, and if you and Sam want to help that's fine by me, so long as you two are careful."

Severus nodded as a tapping was heard at the kitchen window and saw an Owl was at the windowsill tapping on the glass.

"Mum did you get a new Owl while I was at Hogwarts?" Severus asked his Mother.

Eileen looked at the Owl tapping on the glass, "No, I haven't and it's far too early for you letters from Hogwarts to come as well."

The Owl looked at Severus and Eileen and blinked before flying upwards and ten began to tap on Severus' window a bit more loudly.

"Ah, it must be Sam's Owl. You'd better let it in before it chips your window." Eileen joked.

Severus nodded as he went back upstairs to see the Owl was tapping at the window to try to wake up Sam.

Severus shook Sam gently, "Hey, wake up."

Sam turned away from Severus and groaned. "Five more minutes," Sam snored as he dug deeper into the pillow.

"Come on Sam, you've been sleeping enough!" Severus began to shake his friend a bit more harder.

Sam was roused awake due to Severus shaking him in his sleep. "Lazy bugger, get up!" Severus yelled.

Sam groaned, "I don't wanna get up!" He pulled the covers up over his head.

"You're gonna get up, or do I have to pour a bucket of ice water over you!" He threatened Sam.

Sam groaned loudly as threw the covers off and then stretched his limbs. He sat up and smacked his lips and looked at Severus, "Okay, I'm up! What is it?"

"Do you have an Owl?" Severus asked Sam.

"Huh?" Sam looked at Severus.

"Do...You...Have...An...Owl?" Severus slowly asked Sam.

"Yeah, I do. A Brown Great Horned Owl, why do you ask?"

Severus pointed at the window where the same Owl that Sam described was waiting.

"Marbles!" Sam got out of bed and went to the window, opened it and extended his arm to let his owl perch on his arm.

"What was your Owl's name again?" Severus snorted as he maintained his composure.

"Marbles, I named my Owl Marbles, what's so wrong about that?" Sam asked his friend.

"Oh nothing, just why?" Severus asked back.

"I got Marbles, when at the time Marbles was my favorite game to play, so...y'know...I named my Owl Marbles."

Sam scratched Marbles neck affectionately and Marbles squawked in approval. Sam saw that Marbles had a few messages on his leg. "Sev, hold your arm out."

Severus did so and Marbles jumped from Sam's arm to Severus' arm, and Sam then read the messages.

Marbles screeched softly as it looked like he wanted to be scratched, so Severus chuckled and obliged the Owl by scratching him under it's neck.

"Hey Severus, don't you have an Owl?" Sam asked him.

"No, I just use the Owls from the Owlery." Severus explained.

"Really so you never had an Owl?" Sam looked up from his messages.

Severus sighed, and sat down on his bed and Marbles jumped off his arm and flew to the nearest bed post. "I had an owl once, a beautiful snow owl named Zophiel."

Sam looked at Severus, "After the Messenger Angel, right?"

"Yes, my Mother got him as gift when I started my 2nd Year of Hogwarts."

Sam looked around but saw no cage to keep an owl. "Is he downstairs? Cause let me tell you, he must be one quiet Owl!"

"...He's not here." Severus quietly said.

"Where is he then? I'm sure Marbles would like to meet him."

"He's outside...right where I buried him."

Sam looked up from his messages at Severus, "Once again please?"

"You heard me, my owl's dead."

Sam felt a little bit guilty, "I'm sorry, how did he die?"

Severus looked down at his feet, "I have no proof...but I swear to Merlin it was those damned Marauders."

"What makes you think that?" Sam asked his friend.

"Because, I found Zophiel on the floor of The Owlery with his neck broken, and the day before Black said 'Better not write home anytime soon,' as he was kicking my guts in."

"And when was this?" Sam asked as he was getting a bit angry.

"Last Semester, before The Yule Ball."

Sam growled, "Well, I'll certainly make sure to 'talk' to Potter about this."

"Don't!" Severus looked at Sam. "Alright, I don't want you to get any higher on The Marauder's Hit-List."

"Severus, I am probably already right next to you on the top of their list." He looked through his messages again, "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

"My Mother is making 500 vials of Pepper Up Potion for a client and could use our help," Severus said.

"Sounds like fun, you should probably invite Lily."

"Maybe I will." He looked at Sam, "What's the messages say?"

"Just a few updates on how our friends are doing. Tom has the week off from his internship, Slink is going out of his mind with boredom, Riley, Maxwell, and Macbeth are coming home from their hunting trip, and Nathan is taking up tailoring." Sam looked at Severus, "Sev, are you allowed to have friends over?"

"Well, I never had friends to have over before, but I'm sure my Mother would like to meet a few of your friends."

"Our friends," Sam corrected him.

"Our friends. Why? What did you have in mind?"

Sam smiled, "A quick and fun way to get those 500 vials of Pepper Up Potion."

* * *

><p>I couldn't stay away from updating the Story.<p>

So Read and Review, Follow and Favorite!

* * *

><p>And here is a preview of the next chapter!<p>

* * *

><p>"Welcome to The First Annual Potions-Off! It's Team Slink versus Team Snape in what is shaping up to be a showdown of The Potions Prodigies!" Michael Ashdown commentated at an adjacent table with Nathan who was signing something to Michael. "That's right Nate, this is looking to be one for the ages folks!"<p>

Severus looked at the two, "Who invited you two?!"

"If we're being honest we kinda invited ourselves," Michael smiled.


	12. Potions and Politics

I don't own Harry Potter or the property.

* * *

><p>Sam wasted no time as with the permission from Eileen, he invited a few of his friends over to Spinner's End. Both he and Severus got showered and dressed before their friends arrived, and one by one certain members of The United began to arrive.<p>

Slink looked around the little house, "It's a nice little cozy home here Severus."

"It's not much, but it's home." Severus grinned as he walked back to his kitchen to get some tea for his guests.

Tom was on the couch with Jessica, and Sebastian. "So, why are we all gathered here?"

"Just a minute, we're still waiting on Lily, after she gets here, then we'll get down to business," Sam explained.

"Very well," Tom relented.

It was only a few minutes before Lily came through the door, "Hey Everyone!"

A collected greeting was heard from all of her friends. She went over to the couch and sat next to Jessica.

"Okay now that Lily's here we can get started!" Sam grinned as he got everyone's attention.

"Okay, so can you tell us why we're all here?" Tom asked as he was given some tea from Severus.

"Yes, you only said that you had a way to get my Mother those 500 vials of Pepper Up Potion in a fun and quick way."

"Indeed I did Severus," Sam smirked.

"Oh Christ, please tell me you didn't bring us all here to do menial work," Sebastian groaned.

"Kinda-sorta," Sam looked at Slink. "Remember how you wanted to see who the better Potioneer was?"

Slink grinned widely, "You don't mean?"

"Yeah I do, you versus Sev, whoever makes 250 Vials of Pepper Up wins."

"250 Vials?" Lily looked a bit confused, "But I thought that Severus said '500 Vials' of Pepper Up Potion."

"Well each of them would make 250 Vials and that would add up to 500 Vials," Sam answered.

Slink looked at Severus, "What do you say Severus? You in?"

Severus just chuckled, "Just be sure not to cry when I win."

Slink laughed until Tom interjected, "Wait a minute, to make 500 Vials of Pepper Up Potion must take a vast amount of Bicorn Horn, Mandrake Root, and Peppermint. Where are we going to get that much to make that much Pepper Up?"

"Are you kidding?" Severus looked at Tom before he led everyone down the stairs to his Mother's lab. As everyone came down he turned on the light to show the row of cauldrons, the shelves filled with potioneering instruments, and boxes filled with a number of ingredients bought in bulk. "As you can see my Mother comes prepared," Severus bragged a bit.

"But still, to make500 Vials of Pepper Up altogether is a bit too much for just two people you'd need a team of people to..." Jessica then realized why they were all there, "Oh Sonovabitch that's why we're here."

Sebastian scoffed, "That's a dick move Sam, even for you!"

"Come on guys I'll make it worth your while," Sam bribed them.

"How?" Sebastian asked as he crossed his arms.

"...I don't know but I swear I will!"

Jessica sighed, "Well I might as well, I wasn't planning on doing anything productive today anyway."

Sam grinned, "Thats the spirit, Jessica!"

She muttered a small 'thanks' as a slight blush rose from her cheeks.

"Okay, so how are we doing this?" Severus asked Sam.

"Easy, you and Slink both pick two assistants, and then we prepare and then you compete."

"How do we pick the teams?" Slink asked.

"What do I have to hold your hand through this entire thing Slink?" Sam inquired as that got a couple of laughs from their friends.

Slink put his hands in his pockets in embarrassment.

"Okay how about this? I'm guessing of a number between 1 and 30, what is it?"

"Nine?" Slink guessed.

Severus thought for a little bit before divulging his answer, "Twenty-Seven."

"It was Twelve, sorry Sev. Slink you have first pick," Sam said as Slink looked at Tom.

"I got Tom," Slink smiled, as Tom walked over to Slink.

"Lily is with me," Severus stated and Lily smiled and walked to his side.

Slink looked at who was left, "Let's see here...hmmm..."

Out from behind a table Michael and Nathan popped up and began to give commentary on the situation.

"Welcome to The First Annual Potions-Off! It's Team Slink versus Team Snape in what is shaping up to be a showdown of The Potions Prodigies!" Michael Ashdown commentated at an adjacent table with Nathan who was signing something to Michael. "That's right Nate, this is looking to be one for the ages folks!"

Everybody jumped when they saw the two friends pop from out of nowhere. Severus looked at the two, "Who invited you two?!"

"If we're being honest we kinda invited ourselves." Michael smiled, "Also your older sister let us in."

Severus looked at Michael, "I don't have an older sister, I think you mean my Mother."

Michael's mouth dropped open, "Hot Damn, that's your mother? Geezus, I gotta say I've met a lot of hot older broads in my day, but damn man your Mother takes the cake..."

Severus began to glare at Michael and slowly took his wand out, Nathan noticed that and kicked his best friend on the shin.

"Yeeouuch! Nate, what the hell why did you...oh," Michael saw that Severus had his wand out. "Ummm...sorry, I'm just saying your Mother looks rather good is all."

Severus put away his wand, and Michael got back to commentating.

"Now Slink is deciding on who he wants on his team, for one there is Sebastian. His culinary skills can come in handy on preparing the ingredients for the potion and can easily speed things up for whomever's team he lands on."

Nathan signed a few things to Michael.

"Yes, that's right Nate, we can't dismiss Jessica, she has been under the close tutelage of Professor Sprout, and with her Herbology skills can easily increase the potency and purity of the potion by adding a few potion ingredients to the mix."

Everyone looked at Michael, "Mike...what are you doing?" Sam asked his Gryffindor friend.

"...Okay look, Professor McGonagall asked me to take over as The Quidditch Announcer and I just wanted to practice, is that so wrong?"

Everyone gave a collected, 'Yes!' Michael gave an exaggerated scoff and leaned back in his chair, "Fine! Deprive the Audience of my grand commentary!"

"What Audience? There's nobody else here," Jessica exclaimed.

Slink grinned, "Okay I made my pick, Sebastian!"

Sebastian walked over to Slink's side, and Jessica shrugged as she went over to Severus' side. "That's fine, it'll be a pleasure to kick your ass when we beat you," Jessica bragged.

The teams went to prepare and plan their strategy for the contest, the door opened and Eileen came down to see everyone down in her lab. "Severus what's going on here?"

"We're having a competition on which team can create more Pepper Up Potion faster. That way you can get your order quicker to your client."

Eileen looked around her lab, "Well I didn't expect this big of a turnout to help me. I'll get Lunch started then, can somebody help me?"

Michael smiled and began to get up only to see Severus glare at him with the fury of a Mongolian Horde, "I'm good." He slowly sat back down.

Sam looked at Nate, "Could you help please Ms. Eileen, would you Nate?"

Nate nodded as he got up and joined Eileen. "Oh please Sam, call me Eileen, and that goes for all of you," Eileen smiled as she went back upstairs with Nate in tow.

* * *

><p>After a quick lunch, the teams began to prepare their ingredients as Eileen gave instructions to both teams.<p>

"The client has given me specific details on how this order needs to be. I need 500 Vials, each team must create 250 Vials and the purity of all batches of Pepper Up must be at least Ninety percent."

Slink whistled, "Damn and they all have to be Ninety percent?""

Eileen nodded her head, "Yes otherwise the client won't accept them. However, I'm sure that won't be a problem for you."

Slink grinned, "It might be a tall order, but we'll get it done!"

"You mean you'll get it done...last," Severus coyly retorted.

"Sick burn, but we'll see who has the last laugh Severus!" Slink put on an apron as his team began to prepare.

Severus put on his eye goggles and his gloves, "You may get the last laugh, but my team and I will have the Victory!"

Eileen looked at the clock, "Shoot, I have to run to Diagon Alley to meet a new client. I won't be long but until I come back Sam you're in charge. Make sure the house doesn't catch fire or explode while I'm away."

"Of course Eileen, you can count on me," Sam smiled.

Michael looked at Eileen, "Would you like any help Eileen?" He smiled as got closer to her.

"No, I'm quite fine Michael thank you for asking," Eileen smiled as she walked up the stairs and flooed away to Diagon Alley.

Severus glared at Michael, "Stop hitting on my Mother Ashdown!"

Michael grinned, "Alright alright, I'll knock it off. I was just playing with you. I'd never hit on a friend's mother...unless she decided to hit back!"

Severus growled as he took out his wand, "I'll show you!"

Michael squealed as he hid behind Sam. "That's enough the both of you!" The clock ticked down to the nearest hour, "Okay, when the clock strikes 1:00 you all start." Sam looked at the clock as it ticked on by.

For everyone in the room time slowed down to a snail's pace.

The clock was reaching 1:00 as everyone was on edge for the competition to begin.

_Tick...Tick...Tick..._

The clock struck 1:00 and the competition began! Sebastian and Jessica ran to the storage pantry to get the ingredients of the first batch of Pepper Up Potion. While that was going on Severus and Lily were getting the fire started under their cauldron. Tom and Slink were struggling to get their cauldron lit.

"Come on come on come on come on!" Slink gritted his teeth as he tried to get it lit.

"Oh what's this, it appears as if your cauldron is a bit damp!" Lily called over to Slink.

"SABOTEUR," Slink exclaimed as he shook his arm in frustration.

"You wish," Lily taunted back at her friend.

Sebastian and Jessica went back to their teams with armfuls of Peppermint, Bicorn Horn, and Mandrake Root as Tom and Slink managed to get their cauldron lit.

Both teams began to make their potions as Nate, Sam, and Michael watched on with interest.

Michael looked on at the competition and looked at Sam, "Hey Sam, want to make a wager?"

"Please, you know I can't take your money." Sam looked as Severus sliced up the Peppermint.

"How about a different kind of wager," Michael offered. "Say...ohh...Loser runs around the neighborhood in their underpants?"

Sam looked at Michael, "Sounds fine by me...just make sure you don't get arrested whem you rum around in your briefs!"

Michael and Sam shook hands, "So who are you betting on?" The Brash Gryffindor asked Sam.

"As much as I have to admit it, I have to go with Severus on this one," Sam admitted.

"WHAT?" Slink stopped everything to look at Sam. "WHY?!"

Sam gulped, "Well I have the utmost belief that Severus can quite frankly beat you in his own house."

Slink got into high-gear with his potion-making, "I can't wait until I beat Severus so you have to run around in your skivies!"

Lily blushed so deeply it matched her hair. "Oh my!" Lily giggled as she got back to her work. Jessica had a thought to take a dive to just see Sam naked, but thought against it as she could not let Severus and Lily down.

Sam sat on a chair and watched as the Potions Competition began to heat up.

"Please, for the Love of Merlin win Severus!" Sam shifted in his chair.

"I'll do my best now shut up and let me concentrate!" Severus started to crush the Bicorn Horn.

* * *

><p>James Potter was sitting in his recliner in his living room. There he was relaxing with his mates Sirius, Remus, and Peter. Sirius had managed to escape Grimmauld Place for the time being.<p>

"It's grand to be away from my ruddin' parents," Sirius groaned as he stretched out on the couch.

Remus was reading a book on Charms from The Potter's limited library of magical tomes and other works of wizarding fiction.

Peter was gorging himself on little treats and finger sandwiches and drinking his Fifth pint of Butterbeer.

"It's great having you all here, if only for a bit." James smiled.

"I gotta ask you Prongs, what are we gonna do about Yally Boy and his group of thugs?" Sirius asked.

"Shh!" James shot up and went to the door and peeked out into the hallway and found nobody there. He sighed and closed the door, "Alright, my Father isn't around so we can talk freely."

"What's all this about Prongs? You and your Dad have a row or something," Sirius asked.

"Or something," James sat down on the recliner. "Every since I told him about Sam Yalarad, I expected for him to make Yally's life a bit difficult. But, he had a great fit and told me to drop whatever quarrel I had with him, end of discussion."

"Perhaps, it's because his family is of an Ancient and Noble House? His Grandfather owns The Wizarding World's greatest Import/Export business, or perhaps that his Father is an Auror with ties to every single branch of The Ministry of Magic?" Remus offered as his eyes did not break away from the page.

Sirius waved Remus' words away, "Yeah yeah yeah, what happened next Prongs?"

"He told me that I had to...make nice with him," James nearly gagged at his Father's own words.

"What horror," Remus sarcastically said.

"I know!" James groaned as he slouched down into his recliner.

Peter wiped the crumbs away from his mouth, "So what are we going to do?"

James looked at Peter, "What can we do? Snivellus is in with Yally Boy and his gang of thugs, and he's probably gonna try and make a move on my Lily!"

Remus rolled his eyes, James always had a penchant to claim things as his own when the fact wasn't true.

Peter began to grind the gears in his head and soon he had an idea most grand. "I have an idea!"

His friends looked at him with a look of uncertainty on their face. "You sure it isn't gas or something Wormtail," Sirius asked his plump friend.

"No Padfoot, it's a really good one!" Peter jumped in his seat.

"Okay okay Wormtail, let's hear your good idea," James entertained his friend's idea.

Peter cleared his throat before speaking, "What if we gang up on Snivellus when he's all alone, and then lay the blame somewhere else?"

James and Sirius looked at each other and then back to Peter. "Well, who the hell would we lay the blame on," Sirius asked.

"Well...how about Mulciber. I bet you he's going to be miffed that Severus has changed his colors and became a turncoat."

"Yeah...and maybe we can lay the blame on him and another one of his droogs," James began to grin.

"I say Avery, that Arsehole has got it coming," Sirius malevolently smiled.

Remus was starting to grow concerned these ruminations began to sound like a plot for murder. "Guys there is a problem here, how are you going to trick Severus into thinking it was Mulciber and Avery?"

A collected groan of disappointment comes over James and Sirius, "So much for that idea." Sirius got up to stretch, "But hey it was a good idea Petey."

"Polyjuice Potion!" Peter spurted out without thinking.

"Eh?" Sirius looked at his fellow Gryffindor, "What about Polyjuice Potion?"

"We use Polyjuice Potion to turn into Mulciber, Avery and maybe Nott, pinch a couple of Slytherin Uniforms and then gang up on Snivellus!"

"Peter, this is one of your greatest ideas yet," James professed as his demeanor brightened up. "Oh this is grand, we're going to give it to Snivelly when term starts!"

Sirius grinned as well, "And when we're done with Snivellus, we can use the same trick to take out Yally Boy!"

Remus now started to worry, "Guys all this sounds like a grand plan, but do any of you even know how to brew Polyjiuce Potion?"

"No," James looked at his afflicted friend. "But you do Remus."

Remus looked shocked as his eyes broke off of the words on his book to see James, Peter and Sirius looking at him. "Wait, wait a minute you guys." Remus managed to put his book down as his friends swarmed him.

"Come on Moony! If anyone could make it before Classes start again it'd be you," Peter pointed out.

"But..." Remus thought of several reasons to decline, "I don't have the ingredients necessary to brew it!"

"No problem, I can go out and buy them for you," James offered.

"I need a place to brew the Polyjuice," Remus said.

"You can use the basement Moony, it's where we put all of our junk anyway."

Remus was trying to come up with another excuse when Sirius broke his concentration of thought. "You're our friend, right Moony?"

He looked at Sirius, "Of course I am!" Remus looked at James and Peter as well, "You'd never have to question that!"

"Then what's the problem, hey if we get pinched for it we won't tell them that you made it," Sirius promised Remus.

Remus took a deep breath, "Promise me you won't kill Severus."

James, Sirius and Peter laughed at that, "Merlin Moony, is that what you were worried about? We're only going to prank him, not curse him to death," Sirius consoled him.

James shook his head in agreement, but for some reason didn't say anything.

Remus sighed in defeat, "Alright I'll make the Polyjuice for you guys, but you have to promise me nobody gets hurt."

James looked at Remus and smiled, "Of course not Remus, nobody will get hurt."

But what Remus did not see was that James had his fingers crossed behind his back.

* * *

><p>Vienna, Austria.<p>

In a small, quaint cafe called Café Hawelka there sat a man in the far corner which he could see each person come in and leave the establishment.

He allowed his broad shoulders to relax as his sat in the wooden chair. On the table in which he was at there was a cup of coffee which was still steaming, and a small baked pastry fresh from the oven.

His sapphire eyes were hardened, like uncut diamonds. They were trained on the entrance to the café, as if he was waiting for somebody to come through those doors.

His hair was brown with a few shimmers of silver in it, it was long down to his neck. A single scar marked his face as it went from his left eyebrow, and it slanted down to the bottom of his left ear.

His eyes caught a shifty looking Wizard dressed in a wild assortment of muggle clothes barely disguising him. The wizard looked around and saw Silas Yalarad, gulped and proceeded to go over and sit with the Auror.

"You're late Lorenz," Silas took a sip of his coffee as the other wizard got comfortable in his seat.

"My a-apologies Lord Yalarad, I didn't mean to anger you. I w-woke...up a f-f-few m-minutes ago and...put on w-whatever mug-muggle clothes I could get my...h-hands on to m-meet you here," Lorenz Proust stuttered as he sat in the chair, fidgeting every so often.

Silas noticed Lorenz's body language and frowned, "Have you been smoking Opium again?"

Lorenz looked away from Silas and that was all the confirmation that Silas needed.

"You couldn't go Three Days without it, could you?" Silas sighed, "If we are to find The Dark Disciples then we need a lead from a reliable witness. One that, quiet frankly doesn't have a crippling Opium Addiction."

"Forgive me, if I n-need a little bump to allow m-me to fun-function in society," Lorenz shot back at Silas, but then regretted his words and tone as he saw Silas glare at him.

"I'm sorry, but would you rather go to Gefängis on a Felony Count of Enchanted Opium Possession with Intent to Sell or would you rather help me capture The Dark Disciples and commute your sentence to just Rehab?"

"No...I'm s-sorry Lord Yalarad," Lorenz bowed his head in shame. "Please, I want to help!"

Silas pulled out a piece of parchement and a quill discreetly, "Now you are going to write down the address where The Dark Disciples are currently located."

Lorenz looked at Silas, "B-but if I do th-that the-they will kill me!"

Silas leaned over the table and in a hushed tone and deadly expression whispered, "And what makes you think that I won't?"

Lorenz gulped and tried to call his bluff, "You're an Auror, it's against your rules."

"That's true, I'm an Auror in England, but here in Austria I am part of an International Task Force to hunt down Dark Wizard as you already know Lorenz." Silas picked up his fork and began to twirl it in his left hand. "I have Carte Blanche to what is necessary to get these bastards, and if I have to make a low level Opium Junkie disappear to get these bastards..." The Auror pulled a sleight of hand trick and made the fork disappear. "Then I'll make that Junkie disappear."

Lorenz nearly released his bowels when seeing the fork disappear in Silas' hand.

"But if that Junkie decides to play ball with me..." Silas waved his left hand and the fork reappeared, "Then I might give that junkie his just reward."

He looked at Silas who was looking deep into his soul.

"Now...what is your decision Lorenz," Silas asked as he pushed the parchment and quill over to him.

Lorenz looked at the parchment and then wrote the location of The Dark Disciples, "I...I w-want y-your w-wo-word that I'll b-be safe." He finished writing the location and Silas took the parchment and looked it over before putting the parchment in his coat pocket.

"Lorenz Proust, you are now under the complete protection of Dër Dëutsch Zauberer Schutzdienst."

Two German Wizards got out of their seats and flanked both sides of Lorenz.

"You will be taken to a safehouse in West Germany, where you will be under constant surveillance and protection until we require your services to identify, and in some cases testify in open court before a W.E.L.M. and Ministry of Magic Tribunal the true nature of The Dark Disciples as well as the connection between them and the Dark Wizard known as Tom Riddle and his group of Dark Wizards known as 'Death Eaters.'"

Lorenz didn't have another moment to speak as the German Wizard Officials took the junkie away to safety.

Silas sat back in his chair and relaxed as he sipped on his coffee and ate his baked pastry. He got out the parchment with the location and looked at it over and over again.

"I got you, you son of a whore," Silas whispered to himself. True he was in this task force to hunt down Dark Wizards, but everybody knew that he was interested in only one Dark Wizard in particular, Antonin Dolohov.

Dolohov was the one Dark Wizard that Silas had placed even above Tom Riddle himself. To Silas, the death of Antonin Dolohov was all that mattered to him.

Silas was finishing his quick breakfast and pulled out his wallet to pay for his food and a photo fell out of it. He went to pick up and the photo from his time at Hogwarts. It was of him and his old friend Gabriel Schell, God it had been so long since he had seen that idiot. The picture was folded on the right for a reason, but Silas unfolded the right side to see a young Eileen Prince, his old flame.

He sighed at the young beauty who at one time was his beloved. If it wasn't for his idiotic brother, Marcus. Silas would have probably married Eileen instead of Alexandria as he was Marcus who decided instead of marrying Alexandria Dain to elope with another witch, Carmen Rosario. Make no mistake Silas loved Alexandria...but he had to learn to love Alexandria whereas he loved Eileen instantly.

He was tempted many a lonely night to try to contact Eileen to see how she had gotten on in life, but he always talked himself out of it. Eileen probably moved on, and started her own family by now.

Silas had also tried letting his vengeful feelings go and try to forget the past...but his emotions would never let him go, not until Dolohov was dead and buried.

It was that day... Nearly Twelve Years ago where he lost his Brother Marcus, and his wife Alexandria to that...piece of excrement Antonin Dolohov.

Silas got up out of his seat, paid for his meal and left Café Hawelka. No matter what happens, it would all end soon.

* * *

><p>The Floo in Snape House roared to life as Eileen Snape exited the fireplace to see an empty living room. She wondered if the children were still working on the potions. To be truthful, she hadn't really expected them to create all 500 Vials of Pepper Up Potion. In her haste she had forgotten that the order was incorrect and that the client asked for 50 Pepper Up Potions instead of 500. Hopefully, Eileen made it back in time to tell them and correct them.<p>

Eileen then went to the basement door and opened it to hear a frenzied rush and hurried down the staircase.

There she saw Sam, Michael, and Nate looking on in disbelief. Eileen looked at the scene which was taking place.

There were stacks of containers which held 25 Vials of Pepper Up Potion each.

Eileen looked at her watch, she had only been gone for an hour, two at the most, how had they been able to make so much Pepper Up Potion.

"They've been like this since you've left," Sam told Eileen. "Both Slink and Severus have been embroiled in this epic battle of potion brewing."

"Where's Lily and the other participants," Eileen asked them

Michael pointed towards the left, and Eileen saw Lily, Jessica, Sebastian and Tom were strewn about on the couch she kept down in her basement when she took a nap in the event she couldn't get upstairs.

"They got too tired to continue, so Slink and Severus just kept on working without them," Michael explained.

Eileen looked at her son who was working vigorously to get what appeared to be the last batch of Pepper Up Potion into the last tray of vials.

She looked over at Slink who was doing the exact thing.

"Oh man! It's neck and neck! C'Mon Slink," Michael cheered on Slink.

"Let's go Severus! You can do it!" Sam rooted for his friend, "Please don't lose!"

Soon all eyes were on Severus and Slink as they began to finish pouring their final batch of Pepper Up into the vials.

Slink finished first, and he picked up the tray to take it to the table which held all the other trays, and Severus swore under his breath as he finished up and ran after Slink.

As Slink ran to the table he slipped and fell and his tray of vials fell and shattered on the ground, "Dammit to Hell!" Slink swore as he fumed in a silent rage.

"Oh Shit," Michael swore as he held his head in his hands, knowing that Slink would lose!

"Ha! Victory is mine!" Severus paraded in victory as he ran to the table.

"Victory is ours," Sam corrected his friend. "Yeah, yeah whatever!" Severus said as he ran over to the tabble

"Severus Tobias Snape, slow down! How many times must I say..." Eileen was interrupted by Michael.

"HEY MS. EILEEN WANT TO GO ON A DATE WITH ME?" Michael blurted in a last ditch effort.

Eileen blushed a deep shade of crimson red, "What?"

Severus heard this and glared at Michael heavily, "WHAT?!" He didn't mind where he was going, and Severus tripped and fell into the table destroying all the vials of Pepper Up Potion.

Lily and Sam went over to help Severus up.

"Sev are you okay," Lily asked her friend.

"I'm fine, I've had worse." Severus looked down at the destroyed remnants of The Pepper Up Potions and then looked at Michael who sheepishly grinned.

"Wha-What's up Sev?" Michael asked his friend.

"What's up?" Severus looked at Michael. "YOUR FACE IS GONNA BE UP ON THE CEILING BY THE TIME I'M THROUGH WITH YOU!"

Michael yelped and tried to run but was caught by Slink.

"Slink what are you doing? Slink, he's gonna kill me! Slink, no!"

"He should kill you, in fact I should probably help! We spent hours working on those potions only for you to fuck everything up and make such a mess out of things! Did you forget that we were trying to help Ms. Eileen get those potions for a client of hers?"

Michael grimaced, "It slipped my mind."

Before Slink or Severus could wail on Michael, Eileen cleared her throat getting their attention.

"It slipped my mind but I was going tell you that...I completely forgot that the order was wrong. Instead of 500 Vials the order was for 50."

Slink and Severus looked dumbfounded. "So...you mean we did all of this for nothing?" Slink asked Eileen.

"Well...when you put it like that..." Eileen twiddled her fingers together.

Michael sighed, "So...we can all let bygones be bygones right?"

Severus glared at Michael and then let him go.

"Just clean up this mess Mr. Ashdown, and we'll call it even, right Severus?" Eileen smirked as she put her hands on her hips.

Severus grumbled a soft yes, but still had a bit of a mood.

Sam sighed and then began to unbuckle his pants. "Sam, what in the Blue Hell are you doing," Lily asked him as she averted his gaze.

"Well, I lost so naturally that means I have to honor my debts like a man." He took off his shoes and socks.

"Right, so you go on and do that Sam," Michael tried to squirm away.

"Not so fast Michael!" Jessica blocked him from getting away. "If I recall correctly you also made the same wager if Slink didn't win."

"Yeah but it was meaningless. They didn't even have to do it..."

"Uh uh uh!" Sebastian joined Jessica blocking Michael from escaping, "That's not what you agreed on. Since Severus nor Slink won, that means it's a tie. So, both you and Sam have to honor your commitments."

"But...but...but..." Michael stammered.

Tom came in as well, "A wager is a wager Michael."

With a groan of defeat, Michael relented as he went up the stairs taking off his shirt, "Well come on, let's get this over with!"

Sam followed Michael up the stairs already halfway done with his shirt off.

Their friends followed them up with Jessica saying that, 'Christmas came early this year.'

* * *

><p>Sebastian, Tom, Slink and Nathan were laughing as they saw Sam and Michael in their underpants and shoes in the middle of the front yard. Michael was covering himself as Sam stretched in preparation for the run much to Jessica's glee.<p>

Lily wasn't looking but she would be lying if she said that she didn't take a peek. While Jessica was taking a whole lot of peeks but was being discreet about it.

"Where's Severus?" Sebastian asked as he looked around.

Severus came from his backyard with a bicycle in tow.

"Hey Severus...what are you doing with the bike," Slink asked his friend.

"Vengeance," Severus answered in a matter-of-factly tone.

"Okay, once around the block and then come back," Tom gave out instructions to Sam and Michael. "Annnnndddd GO!"

Michael zipped off in a haste and Sam ran after him in a much more relaxed pace.

Severus checked over his bicycle and then went over to Nathan who was holding Michael's clothes, with a devious smile that would make Salazar Slytherin proud.

* * *

><p>Rose and Petunia Evans were out in their garden in the Front Yard working on their Blossoms.<p>

Rose was glad that Petunia had decided to tend to the garden with her as she had neglected to do so ever since she had started dating that odious man Vernon Dursley.

Suddenly, a young man zoomed past their fence...seemingly wearing nothing at all.

"Uhh...what was that?" Rose asked her eldest daughter.

"I...think that was a streaker!" Petunia pointed out.

"Should we call a Constable?" Rose asked out loud.

Petunia looked to where the streaker came from and her jaw dropped, "NO MOM DON'T CALL THE CONSTABLE!"

Rose looked to where Petunia was looking and saw the reason for her vocal disapproval for calling the Authorities.

Sam Yalarad was wearing nothing but his underpants and his trainers and was jogging in a relaxed pace after the streaker.

"Hi Rose, Hi Petunia!" Sam called out to them.

"Uhh Sam?" Rose called out to him. Sam came back over to their fence and jogged in place. "Yes Rose?"

"What in God's Name are you doing?" Rose asked in a surprised tone.

"What? Oh you mean this? I lost a bet and now my friend Michael, and I are running around the block in our underpants."

"I see. So, I guess you don't do monetary wagers?" Rose asked Sam.

"I could never take anybody's money."

Petunia wasn't even listening to their conversation as her eyes glanced over and over Sam's body.

"Well, I'd better catch up with Michael. See you guys later!" Sam ran off to join his fellow streaker.

"That boy is Odd, but several times better than Vernon Dursley mind you, right Petunia?" Rose didn't here a response. "Right Petunia?"

Rose Evans looked and saw Petunia walking after Sam Yalarad in a haze. "Petunia Evans you get back here and help me with this garden!"

* * *

><p>Michael was the first to arrive back at Severus' House and jumped over the fence. "Give me my clothes! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"<p>

Nathan was standing in the front yard twiddling his thumbs.

"Nate where's my clothes?! If this is a joke then it isn't funny!"

Nathan sighed something quickly. "What do you mean 'he' took them? Who's He?" Michael asked Nathan.

'Ring-Ring, Ring-Ring', a bicycle bell chimed as Michael turned around to see Severus on his bike with Michael's clothes.

"Oh hey Michael, are these your clothes?" Severus then began to pedal away in a dash.

"SEVERUS! GET BACK HERE YOU DICKHOLE!" Michael ran after Severus.

Sam arrived at the house and was given his clothes back by Tom. "Thanks, so what happened," Sam asked as he put his clothes back on.

"Severus took Michael's clothes away with him on his bike. Michael is chasing after him, but what he doesn't know is that they are heading straight towards the center of town."

"Man, Severus sure is devious," Slink got up next to Tom and nuzzled up with him lovingly.

"Indeed he is, but then again aren't we all?" Sam asked as Eileen came out with a few refreshments.

"Where is Severus?" Eileen asked Sam.

Sam smiled and took a sip of his glass of lemonade, "He's taking a bike ride."

* * *

><p>I'm back in the saddle again!<p>

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* * *

><p>A sneak preview of the next chapter.<p>

* * *

><p>Abraxas Malfoy looked at the hooded figure in his study. "I believe you are Antonin Dolohov."<p>

The hooded figure took off his hood which showed a pale, scarred face which had seen many battles over his years with his Arch-Nemesis. "You believed correctly, Lord Malfoy. I am Dolohov."


End file.
